Mark Aaron Balbin

Scammers have always been a pesky problem, and with them harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) as their new weapon, this makes them even a bigger threat.


With this in mind, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is considering regulating the use of AI in SIM card registration, aiming to prevent scammers from using the technology.

DICT Undersecretary Alexander Ramos revealed in a media forum on September 11, 2024 that in the raids conducted by law enforcement agencies, they discovered that a few individuals working in so-called scam hubs obtain and sell hundreds of pre-registered SIM cards.

"Nag-e-evolve ang mga sindikato. 500, 1,000 ang binebenta nilang SIM card na pre-registered," Ramos said.

Ramos also added that a person from one of their previous raids used social media and AI to gather information from random users and manipulate their photos, using them for SIM registration.

This led to DICT’s proposal of a law against the use of artificial intelligence in illegal activities, especially scams.

“Gusto naming magkaroon ng batas na maka-evolve nang mabilis. Walang batas sa AI pero andoon na ang direksyon ng scams," Ramos stated.

Apart from this, the DICT also proposes an amendment to the Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act, limiting the number of SIMs registered by one person. 

According to tech firm Gogolook, around 6 million scam texts and approximately 600,000 scam calls were recorded in the Philippines last year, with data showing its increasing pattern every quarter. 

As of now, while the government finds ways to prevent scam texts and calls, the public should remain vigilant. Suspicious messages should be noticed and reported to authorities immediately. 

Until then, public awareness is the key to keep people away from being scammed.