PNP: cybercrime complaints down by 36 percent

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo —INQUIRER.net/Faith Argosino

MANILA, Philippines —  The cybercrime complaints in the country dropped by 36 percent during the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Citing the Anti-Cybercrime Group’s (ACG) data, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said on Tuesday that they recorded 8,177 complaints from January to June, lower than the 12,808 in the same period last year.

READ: Cybercrimes up by 21% in 1st quarter, says PNP

These complaints include various schemes including online selling, investment, and debit/credit card fraud.

“The significant decrease in cybercrime complaints from January 1 to June 30, 2023, compared to the same period in 2024, reflects the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures implemented by businesses and government agencies,” ACG said in a separate report.

“The continuous effort of this Group in conducting cybercrime awareness programs/campaigns also contributed to lessen the commission of cybercrime offenses,” it added.

Over the weekend, however, the PNP reported a surge of 21.84 percent in the number of cybercrime cases in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2023.

Citing data from the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), PNP said the most prevalent cases were online selling scams, credit card fraud, and investment scams.

In line with this, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil announced an intensified drive against cybercrimes. He added that the police force will allocate “more resources and enhancing capabilities to combat the growing threat of cyber-related offenses.”