Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Antipolo focused the spotlight on cybercrime during its first weekly PCCI Antipolo Kapihan hosted by PCCI Antipolo External Vice President Bernadette Coronado on December 3, 2021.
PCCI Antipolo President Bryant Kim An welcomed PCCI members who participated in the live Zoom discussion.
“This is the first Kapihan na ginawa natin for PCCI Antipolo. So I hope marami kayong matutunan and standby sa marami naming topics for our Kapihan at sa iba pa naming projects soon sa 2022,” said Kim An.
The resource person was Police Captain Errol Adia, the team leader of the Rizal Provincial Anti-Cybercrime Response Team under the Regional Anti Cybercrime Unit Region 4A.
He said under Philippine laws cybercrime is defined as any crime committed by, through or with ICT. Fraud cases like online scams are essentially estafa but punishment for crime committed online will receive a punishment one degree higher.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), on the other hand, refers to all communication technologies, including the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, middleware, video-conferencing, social networking, and other media applications and services.
Adia explained that advances in technology have made doing business and commerce easy. The ease of doing business however has also made committing fraud and crime easier.
He said the best way to limit cybercrime is not to trust easily and to protect yourself at all times.
Coronado cited a personal experience of a cybercrime. She sold expensive handbags and a buyer sent a fake screen shot as proof of payment. Without confirming the online payment, she had the bags delivered to the buyer only to find out too late that no payment had been made.
Adia discussed the most common cybercrimes committed and ways to help prevent becoming victims of said crimes. He emphasized that prevention is the best answer to cybercrime and timely reporting is vital if and when a cybercrime is committed.
He concluded his discussion by saying that cybercrime is considered crime of the future and it is important to educate the public about its danger. He praised PCCI Antipolo for initiatives like educating its members through the Kapihan.
