The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) arrested three individuals, including two former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) employees, for allegedly selling illegal SMS blaster machines in Parañaque City and Bacoor, Cavite.
Authorities identified the first two suspects only by their aliases “Ali,” 27 years old, and “Kara,” 26 years old. The pair was apprehended during an entrapment operation conducted along Bradco Avenue in Parañaque City after allegedly selling three SMS blaster machines to an undercover operative for P40,000.
According to the ACG, Ali was working as a rider while Kara was employed as an office staff prior to their arrest.
Investigators said the two previously worked together at a now-defunct POGO hub, where they allegedly obtained the SMS blaster devices.
The third suspect, identified only as “Jess,” 30 years old, was arrested during another entrapment operation at a fast-food restaurant in Bacoor, Cavite. Authorities said Jess, a call center agent, allegedly sold two SMS blaster machines for P20,000.
The ACG said Jess had reportedly been buying and reselling pullout items from former POGO operations over the past six months.
Police said the arrests resulted from cyber patrolling and monitoring efforts aimed at cracking down on the unauthorized sale of SMS blaster equipment online.
The suspects have been charged for violating Republic Act No. 3846, or the law regulating radio communications, in relation to Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Authorities warned that SMS blaster machines are commonly used in illegal activities such as smishing or text scams, spam messaging, phishing attacks, and other fraudulent schemes.
“The use and sale of SMS blaster machines can be dangerous because they are often exploited for deception and online scams,” the ACG said.
The anti-cybercrime unit added that such devices allow scammers to send massive volumes of messages in a short period, making them a common tool in fraudulent operations.