Text scams – everyone has probably received at least one. But they just wont stop.?According to the NTC’s One-Stop Public Assistance Center (OSPAC), the number of text scams the agency has received has increased to 55% since 2008.?That was two years ago when the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) gave us some tips on how to detect such frauds.

Now after two years, these text scams have evolved into different styles but all have the same purpose: TO GET MONEY. Now, we need to understand how they work so we would know how to deal with them.

1. Raffle Scam?- a type of scam where the text message claims that you have won in a raffle. The text scammer will rush you into sending them money so that you can claim the prize right away.
   

   CONGRATULATIONS!!!YOUR # WON TOYOTA AVANZA w/ 300 thou via electronic last Jan.24.2011.For details,please call now MANUEL ACOSTA of Phil. Info. Center on this #. [received from a relative's phone]

   More details on the raffle scam here.

2. New Roaming Number Scam – a type of scam where the con artist claims to be a close relative and requests you to send them load. They usually start by sending a text message informing you of their new roaming number.
   

   E2 Bgong roaming # ko Msta n kau jan,ako ok nman d2.Spg at tyga lng. Mis ko n kau jan.My ppdala ako ppakage jn.My gift aq sau dun s luob ng pakage.Ingat kau jan.?[received from my phone]

   The usual victims of the New Roaming Number Scam are Philippine residents who have OFW relatives. They?accidentally?fall for the scam when the text message is received just in time when they are expecting a package from an OFW relative.

3. Missent Load Scam – a type of scam where the text message appears similar to a Pasaload, Share-A-Load, or Give-A-Load notification.
   

   1/2 You have just been loaded P150 by 09269787436. P200 load will expire in 45 day(s). Trace #751709. To send load, txt?to 2+10digit cel#

   After a few minutes, the scammer will claim that the load was sent to a wrong number and will eventually ask to send back the load.

   Pwede po pakibalik ng load ko?

   If the load notification came from an 11 digit number, ignore.

4. Discount Billing Scam – a type of scam where the text message claims that you are eligible for a discount on your postpaid bill. But the message is actually making you send a load to an unknown number. Their usual target are postpaid subscribers.
   

   GLOBE: Congrats! You’re the one selected postpaid Plan given ?P150 discount billing, to get your P150 discount billing, just text 150 then send to 29056509391. Thank You Globe Postpaid Subscriber!

   If you are not familiar how to?Pasaload, Share-A-Load, or Give-A-Load, then you might fall for this scam.

5. Dugo Dugo SMS style scam – a type of scam where the con artist claims to be a close friend or a relative who has just been injured in an accident and was just borrowing someone’s cellphone. ?The scammer will then demand for some load. ?This scam originated from the famous?Dugo Dugo Gang?who uses phone/landline to scam. But there’s no stopping them from expanding their activities thru text messaging.
   

   An officemate’s mother fell victim to this text scam.? The texter posed as my officemate’s brother who was in a car accident.? The texter asked for Php6,000 pasa-load.? The mother, worried that her son is in trouble, immediately sent Php1,000.? She was about to send more money but gut feel prevented her.? She called the mobile number but no one answered. [source]

   To know more how Dugo Dugo gang originally works, watch this video.

6. GCASH scam- a type of scam where the scammer suddenly?disappears?after receiving the payment on his GCASH?account. The scammer uses popular shopping/auction sites such as ebay.ph, multiply.com, or sulit.com.ph to sell goods and then?signs up for a GCASH account using a fictitious name. After receiving the payment on his fake GCASH account, he will then tranfser the funds to his real GCASH account.
   The following story came from a sulit.com.ph member hjamaru6. He told me that the cellphone number 09156660132 was able to register a GCASH account using my name and was able to scam other people.

   Ang ginamit na pangalan ni Ebook Seller sa Gcash ay Caroline Sinel.

   Kung paano ko nasabi na iisa lang si godlove143 at Ebooks Seller? Nung nahacked ang account ko sabay nag offline ang mga contact number nila. Hindi matawagan Caroline?Sinel?Gcash?Number 09156660132 at? 639358757363 Anne Rose Malaliz. Hindi na rin nag online sa sulit.com.ph for 5days, Magkasabay din sila. Sila rin ang huling kausap ko nung madaling araw na nahacked ang account ko. Marami ang naging biktima nito. Hindi lang ako. Malupit na hacker ito! Ingat po tayong lahat. [source]

   Unfortunately, Ebook Seller is?not only a GCASH scammer but also a Paypal and Gmail hacker.

Text scammers are more likely to increase now that Christmas season is fast approaching. Their style is to offer quick cash, or a house and lot, or a new car, even if the recipient of the text message never took part in a raffle. Example:

We are glad to inform you that you have won P650,000 thru PGMA. Claim ur prize, call now. I’m Atty. Garey B. Aquino from BSP Info Department. DTI Permit #3920.

I think many have fallen for such scams. Which is why, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) gave us some tips on how to detect such frauds (from Yahoo News):

First clue: the source of the text message is just an ordinary 11-digit mobile number instead of the special four-digit numbers.

Second clue: the message would claim that the recipient won in a raffle they never knew they took part.

Third clue: the message urges the recipient to claim his or her “prize” quickly. The DTI said promos usually give the winner 60 days to claim the prize.

To report a text scam, call DTI Direct Hotline at 751-3330. You can also file a complaint on their webste.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is the executive department of the Philippine Government tasked to expand Philippine trade and industry as the means to generate jobs and raise incomes for Filipinos.