‘Robocalls can range from mere annoyance to serious criminal activity’

Early last month, IT&E, a major telecommunications company in the CNMI, and its subscribers became a target of “robocalls” or “spoof calls,” which raised concerns because these are some methods used to perpetuate fraud. Unlike Guam and the U.S. mainland, these events are not a normal occurrence in the CNMI, pushing local and federal law enforcement agencies to quickly warn the public to be diligent and not fall victim.

These robocalls can range from a mere annoyance to serious criminal activity, according to U.S. Attorney for Districts of Guam and NMI Shawn N. Anderson. “Unfortunately, the volume of these calls has increased nationwide over the past several years. The financial harm caused by tele-fraud schemes can be devastating to individuals, families, and entire communities,” he said “The public should always use caution in disclosing personal information during the course of any call. This type of information is rarely requested over the phone by legitimate businesses and government agencies.”

Criminal activity does not choose a perfect time to perpetuate fraud. In fact, the people behind these schemes take advantage of current events like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has had an huge impact worldwide. The “spoof calls” experienced by IT&E subscribers in the middle of the night and in the morning of May 11 came with an automated voice speaking in Chinese delivering a recorded message and in the guise of local numbers starting with “783” and “285.”

In an earlier memo released in March 25, 2020, Anderson’s office warned the public about suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19. Some of these schemes include individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud, phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, malicious websites and apps that appear to share coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received, seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations, and medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Honolulu Hawaii also has released a public warning in March on COVID-19-related scams that steals a victim’s personal and financial information. FBI Honolulu Field Office special agent Sam Miranda noted the increased online activity for work and study and advised people to be wary of websites and apps claiming to track COVID-19 worldwide.

A Guam resident said that spoof calls, scammers, and robocalls are almost a normal event in Guam. “I get calls from numbers with an area code from Chicago, Los Angeles, Florida, and recently from Tonga, a Polynesian sovereign state. I have a screening system built in my landline but sometimes if I am not alert, I answer the phone and it turns out to a robocall and then I cut the call right away,” she said.

“The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense and the Mariana Regional Fusion Center work with local telecommunication companies here in monitoring reports of local subscribers receiving calls from unusual or unexpected international numbers from time to time,” she added.

The CNMI Office of the Attorney General Edward Manibusan also released warnings on COVID-19 scams, which include email scams, telephone and text messaging scams, counterfeit product offers and high demand goods, bogus door to door and virus-related products, phony charities, and donation requests.

Manibusan’s office also shared tips on how to protect your organization and homes that includes refraining from sharing links to remote meetings, conference calls or virtual classrooms or opening websites or social media profiles, not opening or clicking links from senders you do not recognize, verifying web address or legitimate websites, reporting suspicious activity on work computers to your employer, practicing good cyber security when accessing WiFi networks, including the use of strong passwords and WiFi protected access to name a few.

For parents, closely monitor children’s use of “edtech” and online services and don’t provide exact information on children when creating user profiles (e.g. use initials instead of full names, avoid using exact dates of birth, avoid including photos etc.).

According to Anderson, one of the challenges that local enforcers face is when robocalls originate from overseas, which can be difficult for them to investigate. “However, federal authorities will pursue these matters where evidence establishes a likely success in prosecution. Victims should not feel reluctant to report such fraud. We encourage them to contact the FBI at (671) 472-7465 or (808) 566-4300,” he said.