The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) issued a public warning to exercise caution when shopping online for Christmas, as the incidence of shopping scams in the country has reached 35.9%. This is the highest among 11 Asian countries surveyed.
The 2023 Asia Scam Report was released at Taipei’s 1st Anti-Scam Asia Summit. GASA and Gogolook published the report based on data collected from nearly 20,000 respondents across 11 Asian countries, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
From the survey, the shopping scam was the most prevalent among the nine common scam scenarios. The other frequently reported scams included identity theft, investment, government/bank, job, lottery, family/relatives, bill payment, and charity scams.
“Based on our observation, shopping scams usually increase during the Christmas season. Scammers take advantage of the high volume of online shopping and people’s vulnerability during this period,” explained CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos.
According to Ramos, Filipinos are vulnerable to scams due to their mindset and immediate response.
The Asia Scam Report reveals that 24.8% of Filipinos who fall victim to scams respond too quickly to the scammers’ demands. In comparison, 21.1% of victims take risks despite being unsure about the potential consequences. Other factors that make people vulnerable to scams include being lured in with incentives and placing too much trust in friends and family members.
CICC advises the public to contact 1326 if they fall victim to cybercrime, including shopping scams.
Leave a comment