Parañaque gov't warns public against fake FB accounts posing as city mayor
The Parañaque city government has warned the public to remain vigilant against the spread of fake and unauthorized Facebook pages and accounts falsely using the name and photos of Mayor Edwin Olivarez and the Public Information Office (PIO).
According to the city government, these pages are not official and do not represent the views, announcements, or activities of the mayor or the city government.
Residents were reminded that only one official Facebook page is used for legitimate and official communications.
While the verified blue check badge from Meta is still being processed, the public was advised to identify authentic pages through the following indicators: the official Facebook page of Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez has 354,000 followers, while the Public Information Office (PIO) page has 122,000 followers; official posts are also consistently accurate, transparent, and professionally produced.
The city government further warned that fake pages may be used to solicit donations, collect personal information, or spread false and misleading information.
The public was strongly reminded that official city pages and accounts never request money or conduct transactions through private messages.
Residents who encounter suspicious or fake pages were advised not to like, follow, or engage with them, to immediately report the pages to Facebook for “Impersonation,” and to take screenshots and inform the Public Information Office for proper action.