The Philippine National Police (PNP) is ramping up its crackdown on the underground sale of illegal text blasters, many of which are believed to have originated from shuttered Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
Guerrilla-Style Distribution
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Friday that these specialized devices, once used in large-scale scam hubs, are now being sold individually through social media and e-commerce platforms. He described the trend as a "guerrilla-style distribution."
"While we have seen a decline in centralized scam hubs since the 2024 POGO ban, we are now facing a guerrilla-style distribution. These devices are being pulled out from closed firms and sold individually to smaller criminal elements," Nartatez said in a statement.
He emphasized the need to prevent the proliferation of these devices, adding that police units have been tasked to intensify intelligence-monitoring and strategic operations against all involved.
Arrests in Parañaque and Cavite
The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) recently arrested three suspects in separate entrapment operations in Parañaque City and Cavite for allegedly selling GSM-based text blasters online.
In Parañaque, two suspects sold three 32-port units worth PHP40,000 each. Meanwhile, another suspect in Cavite was caught selling two 32-slot 4G text-blast devices priced at PHP20,000 each. Police reported that some suspects were former POGO workers who kept the equipment after the closure of offshore gaming firms and later resold them online.
Danger of Text Blasters
Nartatez warned about the danger of these devices, stating that they can bypass traditional network security. "Unlike internet-based scams, these devices act as portable cell sites, forcing nearby phones to receive unsolicited and often malicious messages," he said.
He noted that text blasters remain a major tool for large-scale smishing and phishing operations.
Zero-Tolerance Policy
Nartatez has ordered the PNP-ACG to intensify cyber patrols and surveillance of online marketplaces to stop the proliferation of illegal devices. "We are working in lockstep with the National Telecommunications Commission to enforce a zero-tolerance policy on e-commerce sites. Our PNP-ACG conducts 24/7 cyber patrolling to identify these listings," he said.
