THE Social Security System (SSS) said on Thursday that it has taken note of an increase in fraud incidents being reported by its members.
“We are deeply concerned with the increasing number of fraud victims who are mostly our members,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said in a statement.
“That’s why we constantly remind (members) not to patronize these individuals.”
Ms. Ignacio said members should avoid sharing their social security number, My.SSS login credentials and other personal data with people who claim to be SSS employees.
“These will be compromised and used in illegal activities,” she said.
The SSS is also warning the public against joining Facebook groups that offer online transaction help for a fee, noting that the groups are illegal and could be mining personal data.
The SSS said its services are mostly free, charging a fee only for Unified Multi-purpose ID card replacement.
“We also reiterate that SSS shall not be held accountable for any transactions once the member is found to have connived with the fixer,” Ms. Ignacio said.
“This act is considered a violation of (Republic Act) No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 as well as RA 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018. Hence, we strongly advise our members to coordinate with legitimate SSS branch personnel only.”
The private-sector pension fund’s mobile application processed over 35 million transactions and queries in the first eight months of last year.
The number of online transactions with the SSS increased while manual transactions declined in 2020 as more members used digital platforms during the lockdowns.
The SSS said it is working with the police in taking down social media accounts and posts connected to fraud.
“Sending your complaints will provide notable information which will help the authorities to track them,” Ms. Ignacio said.
The SSS, along with the Government Service Insurance System, has been ramping up digitalization initiatives to deliver services during the public health crisis, the Finance department said.
“Both institutions have also put in place information technology tools to keep their systems safe from data breaches and other forms of cyberattacks and threats,” the department said on Wednesday. — Jenina P. Ibañez
