After ‘Comeleak,’ cops offer tips vs identity theft

THE PHILIPPINE National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) has reminded the public to be more security-conscious while making transactions online following the massive leak of voters’ information due to the hacking of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) website last month.

“We are taking this opportune time to again remind the public to be aware regarding the security of [their] personal documents and information that can be obtained from simple utility bills, identification cards, receipts, social media posts and other personal effects,” PNP-ACG chief Senior Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said in a recent statement.

Last Friday, the PNP-ACG, in cooperation with the Union Bank of the Philippines, arrested suspected identity thief Joseph Nicol Tan in an entrapment operation in Parañaque City.

Tan had aroused the bank’s suspicion when—through a phone call—he pretended to be one of their clients. He requested a change in contact information and asked for replacement bank cards to be delivered to him.

During the entrapment operation, Tan presented fake identification cards—including a voter’s ID—which contained the personal information of the client he was impersonating but bearing his  photo.

While Eleazar said the PNP-ACG was still investigating how Tan had obtained the personal data of the bank’s client, the thwarted identify theft attempt was one of the scenarios feared due to the “Comeleak.”

He advised the public to be particularly careful about financial transactions online, reminding them that credit card details and even information on online purchases should always be kept private to avoid being victimized by identity thieves.

The PNP-ACG also advised the following:

Do not surf the Web while accessing online banking accounts. Ensure that only your online banking site is open.

Have separate passwords for online banking and non-banking accounts.

Monitor online account activities.

Subscribe to text and e-mail notifications and alerts from your financial services institutions.

Cooperate with the banks on updates and adjustments to improve online security and customer identification and verification processes.

Eleazar also advised netizens to change e-mail passwords regularly, install anti-virus programs, set up firewalls on their computers and  keep their personal information off social media, including one’s full name and even location.

“On the part of the banks, they are continuously strengthening their security systems and protocols to counter financial frauds,” Eleazar said. Earlier, he announced that the PNP had already started coordinating with banks to ask them to step up verification procedures.

The PNP-ACG also warned Internet users against e-mails claiming to be from financial institutions or legitimate organizations, asking the recipient to update security details and passwords by logging on to authentic-looking but fake websites.