Malacañang has reminded the public that it will never encourage them to participate in supposed investment opportunities, which is a common tactic in online fraud.
Palace warns public over fake RTVM page promoting investment scam
(Photo courtesy of PCO)
The Palace said it is not true that the official account of Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) is linked to an online investment scheme.
This after a fake Facebook page posing as the official account of RTVM has been found circulating scam content that falsely links the agency to an online investment fraud.
The fraudulent page copied RTVM’s official name and profile picture, mimicking the look of a legitimate government page to deceive users. The posts on the fake page encouraged the public to participate in supposed investment opportunities.
In comparison to the legitimate and official Facebook Page of the RTVM, the impostor account lacked the verified blue badge found on legitimate government pages, had low follower and engagement metrics, and contained content outside RTVM’s official scope.
RTVM has since disowned the misleading content and issued a warning to the public, clarifying that it “does not, and will never engage in such malicious acts.
It stressed that it will never “solicit or accept any form of monetary contribution or financial participation from the public.”
RTVM also reminded Filipinos to be “vigilant and critical when consuming online contents,” particularly those coming from “unverified and unofficial social media accounts.”
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) also urged the public to follow only verified pages for accurate information, and check whether they have blue check mark signifying a verified government page and check for official links, post history, and consistent branding.
The public was also encouraged to report suspicious accounts directly through Facebook’s platform.
The PCO is also calling on social media platforms to strengthen their systems for detecting and removing impostor pages, especially those exploiting the names of public institutions.
The public is advised to report any misleading or potentially harmful content and remain cautious of unsolicited messages that promise returns or ask for financial contributions.