Join Rappler’s public forum, workshops on fighting scams, in Laguna
MANILA, Philippines – Have you ever been scammed? Or know someone who was?
With fraudsters and their tools for manipulation increasing in sophistication, more people are falling victim to scams and online attacks. In 2024 alone, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) received over 10,000 cybercrime and scam complaints in the Philippines, triple the figures from the year before. The Philippines isn’t alone in seeing a surge in online scams. It’s gotten to the point where the world is in the throes of a scamdemic.
As more and more people spend their time online, there’s a need to engage with communities so they won’t fall prey to scams and online attacks. To help address this, Rappler is leading a roadshow series that aims to build people’s resilience against scams, and to encourage them to be more critical of the content they consume online.
The roadshow is part of Rappler’s campaign called “#ScamAlert,” which aims to empower Filipinos with the information they need to protect themselves against digital fraud and attacks, as well as encourage them to spread digital safety initiatives in their communities.
The first stop of Rappler’s roadshow will be in University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) at the CDC Lecture Rooms 1 and 2 on Friday, March 28, 9 am to 5 pm.
This is done in partnership with anti-disinformation coalition #FactsFirstPH, CICC, Department of the Interior and Local Government in Laguna, and UPLB College of Development Communication.
The roadshow will feature a public forum on the dangers of scams, and how to report and avoid these.
During the public forum, participants will hear from Rappler journalists and government authorities to better understand the scale of the scam problem and how social media exacerbates its spread. There will also be a panel discussion on how to strengthen scam awareness and digital safety at the community level.
In the afternoon, participants can join simultaneous workshops on online safety and fact-checking.
Slots to the roadshow are free, but seats are limited. All attendees will also be asked to download the Rappler Communities app, a news and community-building app that uses generative AI for journalism and civic engagement. Register here or click the button below:
Deadline for registration is on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
For any questions or concerns, email move.ph@rappler.com. – Samantha Bagayas/Rappler.com