THE Philippine Transportation and Communication non-government organization is calling on Facebook to promptly remove two fake accounts linked to the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief.
This non-government organization, dedicated to combating fake news, digital and online fraud, issued this request on Monday (18 September 2023), emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
PhilTraComm claimed the two bogus Facebook accounts serve as glaring examples of online scammers who are actively seeking to defraud unsuspecting individuals of their hard-earned money.
As such, PhilTraComm’s lead convenor, Aio Bautista, stressed the need for Facebook to swiftly eliminate these fraudulent accounts to prevent any harm to potential, unsuspecting victims and to safeguard the reputation of PAO Chief Persida Acosta’s office.
Acosta herself has cautioned the public about these counterfeit social media accounts that falsely claim to represent her.
The anti-fraud and anti-fake news organization has also warned that scammers are likely to exploit these fake accounts to the detriment of innocent individuals.
As identified by the PAO chief, the PhilTraComm suggested the prompt removal of the following fake accounts:
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075944028806
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082253745297
Acosta also appealed to the public for assistance in urging Facebook to delete these fraudulent accounts using her name.
In the forefront of delivering free legal assistance to the public, the PAO office has been a favorite playground of online and digital scammers.
Over the years, Acosta has consistently alerted the public to the existence of fake social media accounts falsely attributed to her.
In the previous year, she also denied ownership of a Facebook account that falsely claimed she was running for President, stating that it unlawfully used her photos without authorization to deceive the public.
Additionally, Acosta issued an advisory last year, clarifying that she had not authorized anyone to use her name in loan applications, reassuring the public that she was not associated with these loans in any way.
(ai/mnm)