The Cebu Provincial Tourism Office (CPTO) has warned the public against online booking scams involving fake social media pages impersonating legitimate Cebu tourism establishments.
In a public advisory posted on the Cebu Province Public Information Facebook page on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, authorities said scammers are targeting travelers making online reservations, particularly through Facebook and other social media platforms.
“It has come to the attention of the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office that there are potential customers of tourism establishments of Cebu that got victimized by scammers while doing online transactions using Facebook and other social media platforms impersonating the official pages of the tourism establishments,” reads a portion of the advisory.
To avoid falling victim, the CPTO, in coordination with the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU)-7, urged the public to transact only with Facebook-verified pages bearing a blue checkmark and to verify legitimacy by checking reviews, comments, and official websites of tourism establishments.
Travelers were also advised to exercise caution when making down payments and to avoid paying additional fees outside the official booking process, noting that requests for extra charges beyond the agreed payment are a common red flag.
Victims and those who encounter suspicious accounts were encouraged to immediately report incidents to RACU-7 at 0998-5988105 so authorities can act swiftly in taking down fake pages.
“Stay safe and protect your travel plans by booking wisely,” the advisory read. / CDF