Eleazar cautions public vs fake FB accounts using his name

June 14, 2020

The commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield on Sunday warned the public against fake Facebook accounts who are using his name and photos to spread disinformation and malicious content aimed at compromising their works against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said he already instructed the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to help take down the impostor accounts and run after what he described as cybercriminals responsible for using fake Facebook accounts using his name.

“These people have their own respective motives but what they do is plain and simple criminal act because it falls under identity theft which is punishable by our laws,” Eleazar said.

As commander of the JTF COVID Shield, he said that the impostor accounts using his name and photos may not only prey on Facebook users to get money from them but may also use the fake accounts to spread disinformation and malicious content aimed at compromising the JTF COVID Shield’s works against COVID-19.

Eleazar made the warning in order to inform the Facebook users of some of the modus operandi of cybercriminals wherein they have been using the impostor accounts to ask money from relatives and friends of the real account users.

“We have to be alert and take the initiative of protecting ourselves online because your names could be used for illegal activities,” he said.

As a security measure, the police general, who is a previous ACG director, said Facebook users and other account owners in other social media platforms should start checking the existence of impostor accounts using their names and photos.

He added legitimate account owners can also advise their relatives and friends to be wary of message requests of accounts using his name and photos.

Another preventive measure is that those who are asking favors via Facebook and other social media platforms can personally check with their friends and relatives if indeed they are asking for their help.

“Better yet, they could seek the assistance of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies for appropriate actions,” said Eleazar. Ella Dionisio/DMS