The growing popularity of scam-baiting reflects how common online fraud has become in the Philippines.
It usually starts with a generic text message or a Viber greeting from an unknown number, offering a simple online task or a vague investment opportunity.
For many Filipinos, the instinct is to block and delete. Others, however, are choosing to play along.
Across social media, users have been sharing screenshots of themselves “scam-baiting” fraudsters—pretending to fall for bogus job offers or investment schemes long enough to receive the scammers’ initial payouts before cutting off contact.
The posts are often framed as small victories against online syndicates, with users celebrating the few pesos they managed to earn from would-be scammers.
But cybersecurity experts warn that the tactic can carry significant risks.
Many online scams, particularly so-called “task scams,” intentionally send small, legitimate payouts at the beginning to gain a victim’s trust. The goal is to convince them to eventually deposit much larger amounts of money into succeeding tasks.
According to a 2023 analysis by NordVPN, responding to scammers also signals that a phone number is active, potentially increasing the likelihood of future spam, phishing attempts, and other targeted attacks. It also warned that interacting with suspicious links, applications, or messaging bots may expose users to IP tracking and other security risks.
Cybersecurity platform ScamKit has also warned that engaging with scammers could expose users to malware disguised as legitimate files, while also increasing the risk of doxing and other forms of digital exploitation.
The growing popularity of scam-baiting reflects how common online fraud has become in the Philippines. But while many users see the practice as a harmless way to turn the tables on scammers, cybersecurity experts continue to advise avoiding engagement altogether whenever possible.
