Globe Telecom said Monday it blocked more than 32.2 million scam and spam text messages with clickable links in just two weeks after enforcing its unprecedented measure against all person-to-person SMS with URLs.
The figure covers Sept. 28, when Globe started enforcing the stringent measure, to Oct. 13. This means Globe blocked 2.4 million SMS with clickable links on average every day within the period.
“The amount of text messages with clickable links we blocked within just about two weeks shows the staggering number of spam and scam SMS that disrupt and threaten customers every day. This is empirical proof that our security measure was warranted,” Globe chief information security officer Anton Bonifacio said.
Globe started blocking SMS with clickable URLs in the last week of September in response to growing concern over escalating spam and scam messages, particularly those containing mobile users’ full names.
The measure is a first in the industry, making Globe the first and only telecom company proactively blocking all person-to-person SMS with clickable links. It will remain in effect until the SIM Registration Act is implemented, it said.