Public warned: Beware of Facebook con artist posing as PNP chief
MANILA, Philippines — Police detectives have identified a cyber con-artist posing as Police Gen. Camilo Cascolan, the chief of the national police, in what they say is an elaborate internet-based scam, the agency disclosed Tuesday.
In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Police Col. Ysmael Yu, PNP spokesperson, warned the public not to fall victim to the impostor—operating behind the name "Camilo P. Cascolan" on Facebook—and other operations similar to it.
“We welcome well-meaning messages and posts on social media that assist us in reaching out to the public, but we will not allow the name of the PNP and its officials to be misused for shady activities,” Yu said.
PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group investigators have identified the owner and creator of the fake account and, the statement by the PNP public information office says, have called the attention of Facebook over the account’s flagrant terms of use violations, particularly to facilitate criminal activity.
According to Cascolan, one police officer in Cabanatuan City who was related to a "close friend" was almost duped into sending P10,000 via money transfer in exchange for a reassignment to a preferred post.
Citing data from the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, a total of 76 persons have been charged for 113 separate cases of cybercrime-related offenses while 27 violators were arrested as of September 17, since the imposition of the first enhanced community quarantine in March.
On Sunday, interior spokesperson Jonathan Malaya also warned local governments about con artists pretending to be affiliated with the department in order to scam employees by offering to send government assistance or aid to the LGUs.
- Latest
- Trending
