Outsmart Fraudsters! Beware of Scams This Holiday Season

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It is no secret that scammers abound during the Christmas season. Whether it's because people are busy and easily distracted, or simply because traditions call for quick flow of cash in December, these scammers take advantage of the holidays, getting more creative in tricking unsuspecting victims to giving them their hard-earned cash or credits.

Smart Communications is once again reminding its subscribers to be extra cautious when dealing with unknown individuals. Be aware and keep your friends and loved ones informed about these common scams and trickeries. 

 
1. The Pretend Pasaloader. This scammer will pretend to be someone (usually an elderly who calls you iho/iha) who mistakenly transferred to your account some prepaid load or credits meant supposedly for his family member. He will then politely ask you to give back the load. The general rule is: Unless you know and trust the person, never ever transfer load. And keep in mind the official Smart Pasaload syntax. Remember that texting to access code 808 is for transferring load to another account. 

2. The Fake Promo Master. This one's a classic. This scammer will trick you into believing that you've won a raffle or a contest (without you even joining anything). He, usually pretending to be a lawyer or an officer from a government office or institution, will ask to be called and convince the victim to deposit money in order to process or claim the prize. Do not fall for this scam (even if he invokes high-ranking officials or present you with fake DTI numbers). For Smart promos, Smart only informs its winners through registered mail and a call from the number 7777 (not a text from a regular 11-digit mobile number) 

3. The Phony Roaming Relative. This scammer will first try to earn your trust by claiming to be your relative who just acquired a new roaming number. He will also try to bait you with promises of balikbayan box items, your favorite perfume, shoes in your size, and many more. Sooner, this scammer will try to ask you for load credits, and even cash deposits. Remember the rule: always confirm and verify before trusting a stranger speaking with you through SMS and chat. Ask your other relatives, or better yet, ask the relative they are pretending to be, through other means of communication (chat, social media, etc.).

4. The Suspicious Seller. Aside from the common text scams, online fraudsters are also tracking activities and posts of interested online shoppers, especially in social media accounts of online stores. They will gather the information you post through inquiries and purchase intent and use these information to pretend to be the seller, communicating the victims through fake chat profiles. Be sure to transact ONLY through the official store or online channel. Check their contact infromation and always verify before sending the payment.

Remember, it's not a bad thing to be skeptical when receiving messages from people we do not know. Always examine and verify the identities of the people , especially when your money or credits are involved. You've worked very hard, and it's not wise to just give it all away to these scammers.

For more tips on how to detect text scams click here.

To report text scammers, click here.

Healthway Medical Renews Partnership with Regal-Beloit Asia Pte. Ltd. as Corporate Clinic Services Provider

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Regal Beloit, a leading global manufacturer of commercial, industrial, and residential engineering applications, prefers Healthway Medical to ensure employee wellness through providing superior healthcare, which happens to be what the clinic has been delivering its clients. (L-R) Regal’s HR Officer Mariane Rapadas; Facilities and Safety Assistant Supervisor Roman Angelo Munji; and HR Manager Manuel Casimiro, recently penned the renewal of their corporate clinic services contract with Healthway Medical’s Vice President for Sales and Marketing Carmie de Leon; Sales Manager Noreen Arellano; and Sales Specialist Nica Mae Buñales. “We are privileged to work once again with Regal-Beloit in providing their corporate clinic services because we are a firm believer in the philosophy that a healthy workforce translates to a productive business organization,” said De Leon.

Only One Quarter of Southeast Asian Firms Ready for Digital Leadership

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Nearly one-quarter of Southeast Asian businesses are Digital Leaders, a new study by SAP SE and Oxford Economics, the“ Leaders 2020 study” shows. This is higher than the global average of 16%; this new class of high-performing companies is reporting stronger profit growth, higher employee engagement, and cultures that are more inclusive.

These high-functioning organizations have executives who communicate a company-wide digital strategy, keep management and worker skills up to date, and streamline organizational structure.

Analysis of Southeast Asian firms in the Leaders 2020 study also affirms the business benefits of diversity, showing a correlation between those who are leading in digital transformation and those who have a heightened understanding of the importance of diversity. Digital Leaders around the world and Southeast Asian respondents are both more likely to recognize diversity’s positive impact on culture (66%and 62%, respectively), but only Digital Leaders are more likely to see the benefits in financial performance (37% vs. 25%).

Companies have become more diverse in Southeast Asia than in other regions over the past three years. Three-quarters of Southeast Asian respondents saw diversity improvements in the general workforce of their organization, and 42% saw an increase in board and senior leadership, compared with 67% and 34% globally. However, less than 40% in Southeast Asia state that their company has effective diversity programs in place, signaling more could be done, especially at the senior executive and corporate board levels.

The Leaders 2020 study also found that only 61% of Southeast Asian executives (vs. 55% globally) are making data-driven decisions, a key factor that makes a Digital Leader. It is of little wonder that only 62% of Southeast Asian executives (vs. 59% globally) feel that employees are equipped with the skills necessary to keep up with digital technology.

“A diverse workforce encourages bold, innovative ideas to flourish and in turn, presents insights which are only made possible through that diversity. It is of little coincidence that these two capabilities – leveraging data for decisions and maintaining a diverse workforce – both occur for high-performing organizations,” said Scott Russell, president and managing director, SAP Southeast Asia.

The Leaders 2020 research findings for Southeast Asia revealed at SuccessConnect 2016, the premier conference held by SAP SuccessFactors for HR and C-suite executives in Singapore, shows that it pays to be a Digital Leader: