Stepping up the fight against online fraud and scams, several government agencies have teamed up with Meta, SM Supermalls, and advocacy groups for an education campaign focused on bolstering consumer protection online.
The “Be Wais at Magduda” Civic Education Campaign against Fraud and Scams aims to increase awareness among the public about the various types of scams, empowering them to spot and avoid the prevalent fraudulent activities online.
The launch event, held at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on May 11, marked the beginning of a concerted effort led by advocacy groups, Bayan Academy and CitizenWatch Philippines, to raise awareness about online fraud risks and equip consumers with the tools to identify and evade fraudulent activities prevalent in the digital landscape.
Representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Philippines graced the event, along with private sector partners Meta and SM Supermalls.
The group released the first of a series of educational videos showing how different scams work, including online shopping, phishing, job, love, investment, and brand impersonation scams. These videos will be shared on the social media platforms of the government agencies, private sector, and advocacy partners.
The Philippines topped the list for online shopping scam rates in the 2023 Asia Scam Report, a survey conducted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance in partnership with the Taiwan-based tech security company Gogolook.
The Be WAIS at Magduda campaign serves as a call for vigilance and skepticism, urging Filipinos to exercise caution and discernment in their online transactions.
