Globe Stop Spam site logs 4x increase in blocked fraud-linked SIMs in 2023

Globe is intensifying its efforts to combat online fraud, successfully keeping out nearly four times more SIMs in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Through its StopSpam portal, the company has deactivated and blacklisted a total of 220,669 SIMs, majority of which are competitor SIMs.

Globe deactivated 7,521 of its own SIMs for spam in 2023, much less than the 20,226 Globe SIMs in 2022. On the other hand, it blocked 213,148 SIMs from other mobile providers, a significant increase from 35,333 in 2022. This reflects Globe’s unwavering commitment to protecting its customers and securing its network.

“In today’s digital era, safeguarding our customers is a responsibility we take very seriously. Our aggressive measures against online fraud, especially in deactivating and blacklisting SIMs, are a testament to our commitment to creating a safer digital environment. We are constantly evolving our strategies and technologies to stay ahead of threats and ensure the highest level of security and trust in our services,” said Anton Bonifacio, Globe Chief Information Security Officer.

The substantial increase in blocked and blacklisted SIMs is a result of Globe’s long-running #StopSpam initiative, which encourages subscribers to report mobile numbers linked to spam and scam messages or calls. Using the StopSpam portal, customers can easily upload screenshots of unsolicited text messages and provide necessary details such as the sender’s number, the recipient’s number, and any suspicious links.

In its relentless fight against spam and scam messages, Globe has invested heavily in detection and blocking systems. The company invested $20 million to beef up its Security Operations Center, which operates round-the-clock to filter out unwanted messages from both international and domestic sources.