How to Report Online Scams in the Philippines

The Philippines has become one of the global hotspots for online fraud. Investment scams, romance scams, phishing, job offer scams, online selling fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, and "pig butchering" schemes collectively defraud Filipinos of tens of billions of pesos annually. Prompt and proper reporting is the single most effective way to disrupt criminal syndicates, preserve evidence for prosecution, and—in some cases—recover lost funds.

This article consolidates all current legal avenues, procedures, and best practices as of December 2025 under Philippine law.

Governing Laws

1. Republic Act No. 10175 – Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (as amended by RA 11479)
   Primary law covering online fraud, online libel, cyber-squatting, phishing, etc.

2. Republic Act No. 12010 – Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA) of 2024
   Criminalizes money muling, social engineering schemes, economic sabotage via scams, and imposes strict liability on banks/e-money issuers for certain unauthorized transactions.

3. Republic Act No. 11934 – SIM Registration Act of 2022
   All mobile numbers must now be registered, making it significantly easier to trace scam SMS and calls.

4. Republic Act No. 8792 – Electronic Commerce Act of 2000
   Gives legal recognition to electronic transactions and evidence.

5. Revised Penal Code, Article 315 – Estafa through deceit
   The traditional crime that covers most online scams.

6. Republic Act No. 10173 – Data Privacy Act of 2012
   Applicable when scammers misuse personal data.

Competent Government Agencies and Their Mandates (2025)

Agency	Primary Jurisdiction	Best For	Contact Details (Updated 2025)
Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG)	All cybercrimes nationwide	Fastest response for most online scams	Hotline: (02) 8723-0401 loc. 7492 Text Hotline: 0919-160-1754 Online portal: https://cyberresponse.ph
National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD)	Complex, high-value, or cross-border cases	Cases requiring subpoena of bank/telecom records	Hotline: (02) 8521-9208 / 8523-8231 loc. 3456 Online complaint: https://nbi.gov.ph/cybercrime-complaint/
Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC)	Coordination, policy, 24/7 tip line	Anonymous tips, emerging scam types, large-scale operations	Hotline: 1326 (24/7) Email: report@cicc.gov.ph
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)	All financial scams involving banks, e-money (GCash, Maya, etc.)	Fund recovery under AFASA	Consumer Assistance: (02) 8708-7087 Email: consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)	Investment scams, fake lending apps, ponzi schemes	Unregistered investment platforms	Hotline: 8818-6337 Online report: https://www.sec.gov.ph/scam-report/
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)	Online selling/purchase scams (Shopee, Lazada, Facebook Marketplace)	E-commerce violations	Hotline: 1-384 Online: https://www.dti.gov.ph/consumer-complaint
National Privacy Commission (NPC)	Personal data breaches used in scams	Identity theft component	Hotline: 8-234-2228 Online complaint: https://privacy.gov.ph/report-violation/

Step-by-Step Reporting Procedure (Most Effective Sequence in 2025)

1. Immediate Action (Within Minutes/Hours)

   • Stop all communication with the scammer.
   • Take screenshots of everything (conversations, GCash/Maya transactions, bank transfers, ads, profiles, URLs).
   • If funds were sent via GCash/Maya/ShopeePay → immediately call the provider’s fraud hotline and request transaction dispute (GCash: 2882 → option 6; Maya: *788).
   • If bank transfer → call your bank’s 24/7 fraud hotline and request account flagging and possible reversal under BSP Circular 808 and AFASA.

2. Report to the Platform (Within 24 Hours)

   • Facebook/Instagram → Report post/account → “Scam or Fraud”.
   • Shopee/Lazada → Report seller/transaction inside the app.
   • Telegram/Viber/WhatsApp → Report and block the account.
   • This often results in immediate account takedown and preserves metadata.

3. File Formal Report with Law Enforcement (Within 72 Hours for Best Results)

   Option A – Fastest (Recommended for most victims):
   PNP-ACG Cyber Response Portal → https://cyberresponse.ph

   • Upload evidence online
   • Receive Reference Number instantly
   • Case is automatically endorsed to the nearest ACG regional office
   • No need to go to police station initially

   Option B – NBI Cybercrime Division (for cases > ₱500,000 or with strong evidence):
   File online at https://nbi.gov.ph/cybercrime-complaint/ → book appointment → appear with evidence.

   Option C – Walk-in:
   Any police station (request blotter entry under “Cybercrime Complaint”) or nearest NBI regional office.

4. Simultaneous Specialized Reports

   Scam Type	Additional Mandatory Report
   Investment / Ponzi / Fake Crypto	SEC within 48 hours
   Fake online selling/buying	DTI within 7 days
   Bank/e-wallet fraud	BSP Consumer Complaint (online form) within 7 days
   Lending app harassment	SEC + BSP (lending companies now jointly regulated)
   Romance / Pig Butchering	PNP-ACG + CICC 1326 (usually transnational)

5. Follow-up and Affidavit Execution

   • You will be contacted by an investigator (usually within 7–30 days).
   • Execute a sworn affidavit (can now be done via videoconferencing in many regions).
   • Provide additional evidence when requested.

6. Prosecution Stage

   • Case is forwarded to the city/provincial prosecutor.
   • Under the Revised Rules on Cybercrime Warrants (A.M. No. 21-06-08-SC), investigators can now obtain preservation orders within hours for bank/telecom records.

Fund Recovery Possibilities Under AFASA (RA 12010)

• If scam involved unauthorized electronic fund transfer, the financial institution is presumed liable unless proven otherwise.
• Victims may recover up to the full amount + damages if reported within 48 hours of discovery.
• BSP has ordered full refunds in thousands of cases since AFASA took effect in October 2024.

Special Procedures Introduced 2024–2025

• CICC 1326 is now the single national cybercrime hotline (PLDT, Globe, DITO lines all rerouted).
• PNP-ACG “Cyber Patrol” units in every region can respond within 24 hours for high-value cases.
• SEC’s “Scam-O-Meter” database allows instant verification of investment entities.
• Joint DICT-PNP “Takedown Protocol” removes scam websites within 4–8 hours upon verified report.

Evidence Checklist (What Investigators Actually Need)

✓ Complete conversation screenshots (with timestamps)
✓ Transaction receipts/screenshots (GCash reference numbers are crucial)
✓ Scammer’s mobile numbers, bank accounts, GCash names
✓ Links to fake websites/Facebook pages
✓ Victim’s bank statement showing the transfer
✓ Sworn affidavit (template available on PNP-ACG website)

Prevention Measures (Now Legally Reinforced)

• All SIMs must be registered (RA 11934) — unregistered numbers used in scams are automatically blocked.
• Banks/e-wallets now require biometric confirmation for transactions > ₱50,000.
• SEC maintains real-time blacklist accessible via sec.gov.ph/advisories.

Reporting online scams in the Philippines is no longer a futile exercise. With RA 12010, SIM registration, and vastly improved inter-agency coordination, conviction rates have risen dramatically since 2024, and thousands of victims have recovered funds.

Act immediately. Every hour counts.

For urgent assistance:
Call 1326 (CICC 24/7) or text 0919-160-1754 (PNP-ACG).
Online reporting at https://cyberresponse.ph remains the fastest and most effective first step for 95% of victims.