PNP anti-cybercrime unit looking into spread of fake Facebook accounts
The Philippine National Police- Anti Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) is investigating the widespread creation of fake Facebook accounts last Sunday, the chief of the Philippine National Police said on Monday.
“Our social media monitoring is active and anything that are not normal and perceived to be illegal are being acted upon by the ACG,” said Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said in a press briefing.
“We are still investigating it,” he added.
Gamboa encouraged the public to report illegal (activities) in the different social media platforms ''so that we can investigate it and we will always be willing to help the public when it comes to cybercrimes.''
“We need the cooperation of the administrators of other platforms but the PNP is doing its best,” he added.
In a statement, ACG denounced the proliferation of fake Facebook account,s duplicating existing and legitimate accounts of users.
It said this violates Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“When the victim of computer-related identity theft suffered damage, the applicable penalty is prision mayor, which has duration of six years and one day to 12 years of imprisonment. However, when the victim has not yet suffered damage, the imposable penalty is prision correccional, or an imprisonment of six months and one day to six year,” ACG said.
ACG said persons who has a fake account to screenshot it. including the Facebook ID or the universal resource locator (URL) of the account.
They also urged all Facebook users to update their privacy settings and exercise vigilance when dealing with friend requests.
“The PNP ACG also reminds the public to exercise restraint against reporting possible real-life accounts or any accounts that may bear the same name as yours, yet, a legitimate one,” it said.
According to University of the Philippines (UP) Office of the Student Regents, several “empty, duplicate and fake accounts” bearing students' name came out following the arrest of seven UP Cebu students for conducting a protest against the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
Not only UP students but also those from other university who expressed opinion over the bill saw they had fake Facebook accounts. Ella Dionisio/DMS
