The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center has warned the public about Facebook pages impersonating the agency by using its name, logo and official branding to deceive users online.
The CICC said these bogus pages may post fake advisories, fabricated announcements, misleading information and fraudulent offers of assistance while pretending to be legitimate government accounts. Unsuspecting users could be redirected to malicious websites, tricked into revealing personal information or victimized by online scams disguised as official services.
The agency also cautioned that the threat goes beyond isolated fake accounts. It said coordinated online networks can quickly spread false information by repeatedly sharing the same captions, screenshots, graphics and posts across multiple pages, creating the impression that inaccurate claims are credible or widely accepted.
The advisory comes as the CICC continues its efforts to raise public awareness of its official platforms and services.
In the debut episode of PGMN’s “Hey Attorney” podcast hosted by PGMN Anchor Atty. Bernice Piñol-Rodriguez, CICC Director Atty. Alexander “Aboy” Ramos warned that scammers are no longer relying solely on random links, fake promotions or suspicious messages.
Watch the full episode here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DpBXYmqvT/
He said scammers can impersonate other people by fabricating voices or videos, contact individuals close to the victim and ask for money using information gathered from the victim’s own online activity.
Ramos also highlighted the agency’s expanding role in assisting victims of cybercrime through the establishment and relaunch of Hotline 1326.
To stay protected, the CICC urged users to verify the authenticity of accounts before interacting with posts, sharing content or providing personal information online. The agency identified Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center – CICC, which bears Meta’s blue verification badge, as its official Facebook page and encouraged the public to report suspected impersonator accounts.
