By Brian Jules Campued
The Philippine National Police (PNP) warned the public against clicking suspicious links and sharing personal information online as cyber identity theft cases rose by 13.9% last year.
A total of 1,597 cases of cyber identity theft were reported in 2023 from 1,402 cases in 2022, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) director Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia said in a statement on Wednesday.
The said offense is subject to the penalties outlined in Section 4(b) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Hernia also revealed the arrest of 20 suspects in two years through inquest and regular filing, while other cases are under investigation or referred to other agencies.
He explained that some cases are tagged as “beyond police control” due to “complainant-related issues such as failure to submit requirements, refusal to prosecute, record-keeping requests, or challenges in locating the individuals.”
The PNP ACG reminded the public to also avoid downloading files from unknown sources and make sure to check for “https://” in the website URL before providing their sensitive information.
“Always be proactive in managing your online presence and protecting your personal information,” Hernia said.
Unknowingly entering personal data through phishing, scams, or malicious software would allow cybercriminals to exploit social media platforms, compromised ATMs, and unprotected networks.
Cyber thieves may also execute data breaches on company, government, or educational websites, Hernia warned. – avds