Warning issued vs political use of IMSI catchers

Authorities have warned political candidates against using International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers during the upcoming midterm elections, citing potential sanctions.

IMSI catchers mimic cell towers to trick nearby phones into connecting, allowing the collection of unique mobile device identifiers, and are often used in text scams.

DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy stated that these devices could offer candidates an unfair advantage through mass text blasts.

Uy noted that IMSI catchers have been observed being used by politicians for election purposes in past elections and that their sales increase significantly during electoral periods.

The Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group recently apprehended a Malaysian national in Parañaque City, suspected of leading a syndicate that supplies IMSI catchers for illegal activities.

The suspect faces charges including violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the Philippine Radio Station and Radio Communication Act, the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act, and the Data Privacy Act.