Several weeks from now, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be sending out notices to individuals who they think are at risk of identity theft.
According to a report CNN Philippines, registered overseas voters and those who filled out an e-form on the Comelec site before it was hacked are particularly those who might likely fall victim.
James Jimenez, Comelec Education and Information Department Director, said that officials are now in the process of listing people whose personal identity information may have been compromised on the recent hacking of their database. The details were then divulged to the public via the internet in March.
Jimenez explained:
“Our main concern really is that their identities might be spoofed, might be hijacked, might be used for purposes that are not legitimate.”
With an estimated figure of 55 million registered voters in the database, overseas Filipinos are in greater danger because they have more additional sensitive data such as passport numbers as well as information regarding their family members – which is basically the same with people who filled their forms online via the Comelec site. Furthermore, Comelec officials are also in danger because the hacked database contained their email addresses, cash advances information, and others.
Comelec hopes that through sending out individual notices, people would be able to protect themselves from fraudulent individuals who might use their data.
Jimenez said:
“We intend to inform the individual that this is something that’s hanging over his head and perhaps help him get in touch with credit companies. We want to put the banks, financial institutions, immigration and all these other organizations on the alert against the possibility of this particular identity being used.”
The list, according to Jimenez, will be completed by August 31, 2016 (Wednesday).
Meanwhile, Ronald Aguto, Cyber Crime Division Chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), said that voters who will be warned should take necessary precautions.
Aguto shared:
“You have to change your passwords. Don’t use the common passwords like your mother’s maiden name or your birthday. You have to have a stronger password to prevent your data from being compromised, in case it was leaked.”