COMMUNITY | Retirees warned vs rising scam tactics i7
Industry stakeholders noted that scammers are refining their methods to blend into daily digital interactions, making it harder for users—particularly older individuals—to distinguish fraudulent messages from real ones.
Retirees are being urged to stay vigilant against a growing wave of digital scams targeting senior citizens, following a recent awareness session held with members of the Meralco Employees and Retirees Association (MERA).
The session, part of a customer education caravan, highlighted how fraud schemes are increasingly disguised as routine text messages, phone calls, and online communications that appear legitimate at first glance. These include requests for one-time passwords, urgent calls using intimidation tactics, and loan collection notices sent to individuals with no existing loans.
MERA President Francis Barreso said many of these scams succeed because they mimic everyday transactions and communications.
“They don’t always look suspicious at first,” Barreso said. “That’s what makes them dangerous—because they sound urgent, familiar, even legitimate.”
Industry stakeholders noted that scammers are refining their methods to blend into daily digital interactions, making it harder for users—particularly older individuals—to distinguish fraudulent messages from real ones.
Senior citizens are seen as increasingly vulnerable due to their reliance on mobile devices for financial transactions, communication, and access to essential services. This dependence, combined with evolving scam techniques, has heightened risks for retirees navigating digital platforms.
During the session, participants were advised to adopt basic online safety practices, such as avoiding sharing personal information, ignoring messages from unknown numbers, and refraining from clicking suspicious links.
Barreso said awareness initiatives help retirees build confidence in identifying and avoiding potential threats.
“This kind of session really helps people like us,” he said. “It gives us the confidence to pause, think twice, and protect ourselves before we act.”
The discussion also underscored the importance of digital awareness as part of overall customer experience, with companies emphasizing the need to educate users alongside providing connectivity.
Kristine Generalao, assistant vice president for customer experience at Smart Communications, said building digital trust is becoming essential as scam tactics evolve.
“Digital trust is now a core part of customer experience. As scams evolve, our responsibility is not only to keep customers connected, but to help them stay informed, vigilant, and empowered,” Generalao said. “SCAMpaign is about turning awareness into everyday action—so customers feel more confident navigating an increasingly complex digital world.”
The initiative is part of broader efforts to promote cybersecurity awareness among Filipino consumers as digital adoption continues to expand nationwide.
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