By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) on Wednesday warned the public to be cautious of vacation accommodation offers posted online as summer approaches, citing several cases of fake advertisements on social media.
PNP-ACG spokesperson Lt. Wallen Arancillo said the group recorded 29 incidents in the first two months of 2026, mostly involving fraudulent posts offering cheap hotel and resort stays.
Arancillo said scammers typically use stolen photos from legitimate websites to advertise low-cost accommodations and lure victims into making advance payments.
“Kung makakakita tayo ng mga napakamura or too good to be true offers and kung hinihingan na tayo ng pera, down payment or full payment, magduda na tayo, lalong lalo na huwag tayo magbigay ng mga financial accounts natin or mga personal information natin (If we see offers that are too cheap or too good to be true and if we are asked for money, a down payment or full payment, we should be suspicious, do not give financial accounts or personal information),” Arancillo told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Crame.
She said authorities have also received complaints from victims who discovered upon arrival that the advertised resort or hotel did not exist at the location.
“Ang pinakamagandang gawin diyan, puwede tayong mag legit check (The best thing to do is to do a legit check),” Arancillo said.
Arancillo advised travelers not to rush bookings made through social media or online platforms, noting that cybercriminals often rely on social engineering to target potential victims.
The 29 cases so far logged in January and February this year is slightly higher than the 28 incidents recorded in the same period in 2025. (PNA)
