GLOBE Telecom, Inc. on Monday said it had spent $7.25 million for the enhancement of its anti-spam capabilities since the pandemic started.
The amount forms part of Globe’s capital expenditures for the rollout of its cybersecurity and data privacy infrastructure.
“We take unsolicited and fraudulent messages seriously, and protecting Globe customers from these scams remains a top business priority,” Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Reynaldo M. Bonifacio said in an e-mailed statement.
Several mobile-phone users have been receiving spam text messages about employment opportunities.
The National Privacy Commission said last week that it would look into the reports.
This year, the company deactivated 5,670 confirmed spam numbers and blocked nearly 71 million spam messages, Globe said.
Globe added that it had partnered with some commercial banks, as well as Lazada and Shopee, “to minimize not just spam but also scams and phishing activities.”
“Given the ongoing pandemic, many businesses are struggling to get their products across to consumers. This has contributed to a surge in unsolicited marketing campaigns from digital marketers or spammers, who use existing number databases culled from public information or online data,” Mr. Bonifacio said. — Arjay L. Balinbin
