NEWS
TikTok prank based on real fraud scheme: How cybercriminals convince victims to call them
July 18, 2022 2:17 p.m.
On TikTok, a prank where people call their friends using an automated answering machine voice to tell them that a large amount of money is about to be debited from their account is gaining popularity. Kaspersky experts warn that this trend is a real fraud scheme, called vishing, and is actively used by cybercriminals.
Kaspersky researchers detected an increase in the number of vishing emails in June (almost 100,000 total) and collected approximately 350,000 vishing emails between March and June 2022. They also explained how vishing works and how to avoid falling into this trap of cybercriminals.
Vishing (short for voice phishing) is the fraudulent practice of convincing individuals to call cybercriminals and reveal personal information and bank details over the phone. Like most phishing schemes, it starts with an unusual e-mail from a large online store or a payment system. For example, it could be a letter from a fake version of PayPal telling you that they have just received a request to withdraw a large amount of money from your account.
Fake notification from PayPal about a purchase for a large amount of money
But here’s the difference: while regular phishing emails ask the victim to follow a link to cancel the order, vishing emails ask that they urgently call the customer support number provided in the email.
Kaspersky experts emphasize that this method was intentionally chosen by cybercriminals because when people look at a phishing site, they have the time to think about their actions or notice signs that the page is not legitimate. But when victims talk on the phone, they are usually distracted and find it more difficult to focus.
Under these circumstances, attackers do everything they can to further throw them off balance: rushing them, intimidating them, and demanding that they urgently provide their credit card details to cancel the supposed fraudulent transaction. After gaining the victim’s bank account details, cybercriminals use the information to steal their money, leaving the victim with an empty wallet.
Kaspersky experts highlight that in the last four months (from March to June 2022) they have detected almost 350,000 vishing emails, asking victims to call in and cancel a transaction. In June, the number of such emails increased, reaching nearly 100,000, leading Kaspersky researchers to predict that this trend is only gaining momentum and is likely to continue growing.
Number of detected emails with vishing, March — June 2022
Curiously, TikTokers actively repeat one of the vishing schemes, with the only difference being that they do not send a fraudulent email in advance, nor do they steal anything from their victims – their goal is a show, not money.
The call is conducted through an answering machine, whose voice is generated with an online translator. Most often, pranksters introduce themselves as a representative from the customer service department of a large online store, claiming they have just received an order from the victim for several thousand dollars and asking for their confirmation. No matter how the victim replies, the next thing the answering machine says is, “Thank you, your order has been confirmed.” People think the answering machine misheard them and that the funds are going to be withdrawn from their account immediately, so they panic, scream, and don’t realize that they are being pranked.
When people are convinced to disclose their personal data during a phone call rather than on a phishing page, they often don’t have the chance to consider that they are the target of a hoax – and a large number of TikTok videos with this prank are a prominent example of this.
“I often come across videos on TikTok of bloggers pranking other people by calling them and telling them that their account is about to be debited thousands of dollars. The victims believe it and go crazy over it. When you look at these videos on your phone you think, “How can anyone fall for such a thing?” But when people encounter scam calls in real life, they are often affected by multiple circumstances at the same time. Such a call can catch them off guard, while their head is full of other things and they can’t clearly assess who is on the other end of the call – a prankster, a fraudster or a real bank security specialist,” comments Roman Dedenok, security expert at Kaspersky.
Read about other popular methods of email fraud in the full report on Securelist.
To protect yourself from vishing, Kaspersky recommends:
- Checking the sender’s address. Most spam emails come from addresses that don’t make sense or appear as gibberish, for example, amazondeals@tX94002222aitx2.com or something similar. By hovering over the sender’s name, which itself may be spelled incorrectly, you can see the full email address. If you’re not sure if an email address is legitimate or not, you can put it into a search engine to check.
- Considering what kind of information is being requested. Legitimate companies don’t contact you out of the blue via unsolicited emails to ask you for personal information, such as banking or credit card details, your Social Security number or other sensitive data. In general, unsolicited messages telling you to “verify account details” or “update your account information” should be treated with caution.
- Being wary if the message is creating a sense of urgency. Spammers often try to apply pressure by using this tactic. For example, the subject line may contain words like “urgent” or “immediate action required” to pressure you into acting.
- Checking for grammar and spelling is an effective way to identify a scammer. Typos and bad grammar are red flags. So too are odd phrasing or unusual syntax, which might result from the email being translated back and forth through translators several times.
- Installing a trusted security solution and following its recommendations. The secure solution will then solve most problems automatically and alert you if necessary.
NEWS
Gregorio: Hosting international meets catalyst for local grassroots sports programs
10:19 a.m. June 28, 2026
NOT only does it boost local tourism, staging international meets such as the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission serves as a catalyst for the country’s grassroots development programs, according to PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio.
“We have at least 40 local athletes here. If we sent them all to Europe and South America for competitions abroad, the PSC won’t be able to justify it,” said Gregorio during the press conference the other day in tribute to newcomer Sophia Nicole Novino, who was the country’s first silver medalist in the tough continental meet.
“This (result) justifies what we are trying to do. Yung kalaban ni Sophia world-ranked pala,” noted the PSC chief, referring to Kazakhstan’s Karakat Rakhybay, who was forced to work hard before pulling off a 3-1 win over the Pinay rookie in the women’s youth -47kg finals.
“These are eye-openers for us. This is the beauty of what we are trying to do. Sinsasala nating kaagad ng ating mga athletes by giving them the opportunities to go up against the world best as in sambo,” Gregorio stressed.
“So we are thankful to the Pilipinas Sambo Federation and its president Paolo Tancotian for the hosting of the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships for exposing our young athletes to world-class level of play,” he added in tribute of the sambo head, who was also present during the briefing.
Gregorio, who also heads the National Sports Tourism Interagency Committee, pointed out that “if we see the potential and promise of a sport and its athletes, they are much easier to support like sambo.”
For her part, Novino, 17, a varsity judoka and incoming Grade 12 student at UE, disclosed that having savored initial success in a major international sambo meet “gusto ko po mag-devote more time sa sport kasi sa opportunities na maaring ibigay nito para sa akin.”
Tancontian disclosed that he received nothing but praises from International Sambo Federation and Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania officials plus majority of the participating foreign contingents for how well-run the competition was.
“We have been made the example by the International Sambo Federation and Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania in how to run a competition properly. Bilib na bilib sila,” Tancontian said with pride.
“More than 15 foreign squads personally thanked and congratulated yours truly for the first-class treatment they had received from the moment they arrived at the airport, to the hotel and, of course, our excellent venue, the Ninoy Aquino Stadium,” he noted.
“We are being talked about in the sambo world. All eyes are on the Philippines,” Tancontian added. “This is more than what I could dream for and the federation thanks the PSC for making it happen.”
NEWS
San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur forms task force against illicit cigarette trade
6:54 p.m. June 26, 2026
The Municipality of San Ildefonso in Ilocos Sur has established a dedicated anti-contraband task force to strengthen local enforcement against illicit and smuggled cigarettes, becoming one of the latest local government units to institutionalize anti-illicit trade measures at the community level.
Mayor Amante “Tito” Purisima II issued Executive Order No. 23, Series of 2026, creating the San Ildefonso Anti-Contraband Task Force (SIACTF), a multi-agency body tasked with coordinating inspections, investigations, public awareness campaigns, and enforcement activities against illicit tobacco products.
The task force will be composed of local government officials and representatives from key offices, and is authorized to coordinate with national agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Bureau of Customs (BOC) in carrying out inspections, intelligence-sharing activities, confiscation operations, and legal actions against violators.
Under the executive order, businesses selling cigarettes in San Ildefonso are required to maintain supplier records, ensure products bear lawful BIR tax stamps, allow inspections by authorized officers, and report suspicious suppliers or undocumented cigarette products. Violators may face permit suspension or revocation, closure of establishments, and criminal or administrative charges.
“We want to ensure that legitimate businesses are protected, taxes are properly collected, and illicit products do not find a place in our municipality,” Purisima said following the issuance of the order.
The move comes shortly after the International Tobacco Summit organized by the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), where government officials, local leaders, farmers, and industry stakeholders called for stronger coordination among national agencies, local governments, and enforcement bodies to address illicit tobacco trade.
Participants in the summit emphasized that illicit trade can no longer be viewed solely as a customs or law enforcement concern, but as an issue with implications for government revenues, legitimate businesses, agricultural communities, and local governance.
The executive order comes as the national government intensifies its campaign against illicit tobacco and smuggling, following repeated directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen enforcement against illicit trade and economic sabotage. Recent estimates have placed government revenue losses from illicit tobacco and vape products at approximately ₱141 billion over the past two years.
During the summit, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla warned that illicit tobacco trade had become deeply entrenched because of corruption and weak enforcement, and urged stronger coordination among government agencies and local authorities to address the problem.
San Ildefonso’s initiative follows similar actions by other local government units, including Mariveles, Bataan, which earlier established a comprehensive anti-illicit trade program. Policymakers in other areas, including Davao City, are likewise considering anti-illicit trade ordinances and dedicated enforcement mechanisms.
The executive order also directs the municipal government to conduct information campaigns in barangays, organize community orientations, and establish complaint and reporting mechanisms to encourage public participation in anti-smuggling efforts.
Stakeholders say local government participation remains critical to the national anti-illicit trade campaign and enabling an “all-government” approach in addressing illicit tobacco trade, as LGUs are often best positioned to monitor establishments, detect violations, and support enforcement efforts on the ground.
NEWS
Zamboanga relinquishes ONE Atomweight MMA world title, welcomes motherhood
2:23 p.m. June 24, 2026
Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga has relinquished the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship.
In a social media post on Tuesday, the first Filipina MMA World Champion announced her decision to vacate the throne after welcoming her first child with husband Fritz “Kid Tornado” Biagtan.
Out of respect for the division, she gave up the belt to allow contenders to pursue the title while she steps back to embrace motherhood.
“God has always had a beautiful plan for my life, and I trust His timing in everything. After much prayer and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to vacate my ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship,” Zamboanga wrote.
“This was not an easy choice, but I believe it is the right one for this season of my life and for the athletes in my division who continue to chase their dreams,” she added.
The 29-year-old Quezon City native has a 12-2 professional record, and is 7-2 in ONE Championship.
Zamboanga arrived at ONE in 2019 and quickly proved she belonged on the global stage. She rattled off three straight wins to open her promotional run, defeating Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan, Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, and Watsapinya “Dream Girl” Kaewkhong.
The path forward then took a detour. Zamboanga suffered back-to-back defeats to South Korea’s Ham Seo Hee at ONE: Empower in 2021 and ONE X in 2022, respectively. Refusing to let the setbacks define her, she rebuilt herself from the ground up, returning a sharper and more dangerous version of herself.
The bounce-back was immediate and convincing. Zamboanga strung together three consecutive victories over “MMA Sister” Lin Heqin, Julie Mezabarba, and Noelle “Lil’ Monkey” Grandjean, earning her way back to the top of the atomweight division and into contention for gold.
With a long-awaited showdown against then-ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion and former teammate Stamp Fairtex derailed by the Thai’s knee injury, Zamboanga was given an opportunity to challenge for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
At ONE Fight Night 27 in January 2025, Zamboanga met Ukraine’s Alyona Rassohyna with a lifelong dream within reach. She ultimately stopped Rassohyna in the second round via TKO, earning the interim belt and a US$50,000 performance bonus in the process.
The monumental victory etched her name permanently in the Philippine MMA history books, a triumph earned through years of delays and heartbreak.
Four months later, Zamboanga was elevated to undisputed ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion when Stamp suffered a setback in her knee rehabilitation in May 2025 and relinquished the lineal belt.
Zamboanga was slated to make her first World Title defense against Japan’s Ayaka “Zombie” Miura at ONE 173 last November at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Medical concerns, which have since come to light as her pregnancy, forced her withdrawal.
The Filipina, however, made it clear she is not retiring. Zamboanga is turning her full attention to the most meaningful journey of her life, vowing to return when the time is right.
“While I am stepping away from the title, I am not stepping away from the sport I love. Fighting has shaped who I am, and the warrior in me will always remain,” Zamboanga said.
“Right now, my heart and focus are devoted to the greatest blessing God has entrusted to me. This season is teaching me that there are victories beyond championship belts, and I am embracing every moment of it with gratitude. This is not the end of my story. It’s simply a new chapter,” she concluded.
Gregorio: Hosting international meets catalyst for local grassroots sports programs
NephroPlus Philippines strengthens nationwide presence with 50 clinics
San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur forms task force against illicit cigarette trade
