Acting Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has directed a significant ramp-up in cybercrime operations to protect Filipino consumers from a predicted surge in online scams during the crucial Christmas shopping period.
Heightened Alert Against Digital Fraud
In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Nartatez highlighted the elevated threat level, noting that fraudulent activities historically spike during the holiday season. "The threat level is high right now," Nartatez stated. "Every Christmas season, fraud cases become rampant, but this year, scammers are more aggressive, especially online." He confirmed that the PNP is on full alert to shield communities from these digital and delivery-related crimes.
His direct order to the police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) involves increasing surveillance on known scam hotspots, fraudulent websites, and suspicious online sellers. A key part of this strategy is the deployment of specialized "holiday cyber patrols" tasked with tracking phishing campaigns, deceptive advertisements, and new threats proliferating on social media and e-commerce platforms.
Common Scams and Alarming Statistics
According to Nartatez, the most prevalent schemes currently targeting Filipinos include online shopping scams, fake delivery parcels, phishing links, and impersonation. The PNP-ACG provided concrete data to illustrate the scale of the problem, reporting 3,941 online scam cases from January to November 13 this year.
The breakdown of these cases is as follows:
- Online selling scams: 1,630 cases
- Investment and task scams: 589 cases
- Vishing (voice phishing): 431 cases
- Hijacked profile/ID scams: 326 cases
- Loan and lending scams: 251 cases
Other reported fraudulent activities include accommodation and travel scams (135), smishing (113), fake bookings (99), phishing (108), e-wallet fraud (79), romance scams (50), employment scams (40), debit/credit card fraud (50), parcel scams (27), and fake receipt scams (13).
Proactive Measures and Public Cooperation
In response, the PNP is prioritizing entrapment operations against criminal groups orchestrating parcel-delivery scams, fake online seller accounts, phishing syndicates, and SIM/OTP harvesting activities. Cyber investigators are also mapping potential connections between local fraud groups and international crime networks.
"There were cases with cross-border elements, and we're coordinating closely with international partners," Nartatez revealed.
To curb the circulation of counterfeit parcels, the PNP is strengthening its coordination with major courier services, online marketplaces, and digital payment providers. The ACG is collaborating directly with the fraud prevention teams of partner companies to dismantle scam operations at their source.
The public is urged to use the Unified 911 System to report suspicious deliveries and high-risk accounts for immediate flagging and investigation. Nartatez reminded shoppers to remain vigilant by verifying sellers, reading customer reviews, and sticking to trusted platforms for online purchases. He also called on communities to help spread accurate information and report any scam attempts promptly.
