The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) warned the public about “spoofing” attempts that could be used to create fake evidence against government officials amid the ongoing flood control controversy.
The advisory comes after reports of high-level “identity spoofing” using a messaging app to manipulate public opinion and falsely implicate officials.
In a statement, CICC Executive Director and Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso said cybercriminals are creating fake transactions related to government projects.
“The way these messages are crafted makes it seem like someone is transacting with government officials regarding the flood control scandal. We are concerned that these faked conversations may be used as ‘evidence’ to frame or endanger our officials, even though they have no idea who is actually on the other end of the line,” Paraiso said.
The CICC explained that spoofing involves impersonating government agencies and public officials through manipulated email headers, caller IDs, or “mirror” social media profiles. The goal is to spread official-looking false information to confuse the public and lure victims into fake conversations, ultimately generating fraudulent evidence against public figures.
Paraiso said the CICC is coordinating with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and other agencies to block access to the messaging app used in the scams.
“This platform hides the number credentials, which means we cannot immediately trace the numbers unless we coordinate with the application provider itself,” he added.
In 2025, the CICC’s Cybercrime Complaint Center handled 70 high-impact spoofing incidents, with text-based “smishing” as the preferred tactic of cybercriminals.
The CICC reminded the public that legitimate government offices will never ask for sensitive personal information or urgent payments via random texts or social media.
Some red flags include messages claiming an account is blocked or threatening legal action if one does not click a link immediately, URLs that mimic government websites, and slight misspellings in the sender’s name or email.
Paraiso stressed a collective approach to cybersecurity: “We encourage all sectors to self-regulate with government guidance. They help us craft regulations, and we help them protect their users. It’s about building a wall of trust together.”
