According to reports, scam calls in the Philippines have increased significantly recently, surpassing text scams in number. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has warned of the rising cases of phone scams, based on data from anti-scam app Whoscall.
In 2022, the SIM Registration Act was passed to combat scams, but many were concerned about the risk to personal data and the effectiveness of the law. Despite this, scammers are finding new ways to trick people, especially through vishing—a type of scam that uses AI-generated voices.
While text scams remain a major issue with over 600,000 recorded in the first half of 2025, scam calls have increased by 225%. From 108,157 calls in the first quarter of 2024, this has increased to 351,699 calls in the same period this year.
According to experts, scammers prefer to make calls because they can talk to victims more easily. Jocel de Guzman, Co-Founder of Scam Watch Pilipinas, explained that scammers are often professionals who refer to their victims, so they can easily gain people's trust.
The Whoscall app also points out that scammers often provide personal details about the victim to make the scam more believable. According to Gogolook Country Manager Mel Migriño, scammers view scams as an industry, where each group has its own tasks such as researching potential victims and marketing the scams.
A big red flag for phone scams is when the call asks for personal information or when it reinforces a sense of urgency. The app has launched a new feature called Content Checker, which lets you check whether phone numbers or website links are connected to the scam. The CICC is also developing a new app that will help verify photos or videos shared on social media.
