THE Department of Education (DepEd)-Davao Region has warned its teaching and non-teaching personnel to remain vigilant against an impersonation scam in which fraudsters pose as officials from the DepEd Central Office and claim that employees have pending legal cases to extort money.
In a public advisory early this week, the regional office said scammers have been using the names of high-ranking DepEd officials to make their claims appear legitimate before demanding payments from unsuspecting employees.
According to DepEd-Davao Region, the fraudsters allegedly contact personnel through phone calls or messages, informing them that they are facing administrative or legal cases. The victims are then instructed to send money — often through GCash — or other forms of payment to supposedly facilitate the settlement or dismissal of the alleged cases.
The department emphasized that the scheme is fraudulent and urged employees not to be deceived by individuals falsely claiming to represent the DepEd Central Office.
"Tandaan, hindi humihingi ng pera o GCash ang DepEd para sa anumang kaso. Sumangguni agad sa inyong Schools Division Office o kinauukulang tanggapan para i-verify ang anumang kahina-hinalang mensahe o tawag," the advisory stated.
DepEd also reminded personnel never to send money or disclose personal, financial, banking, or account information in response to unsolicited calls, text messages, emails, or social media messages claiming to be from the department.
"Manatiling mapagmatyag laban sa scam," the agency added.
Instead of responding to suspicious communications, employees are encouraged to immediately coordinate with their respective Schools Division Office or the appropriate DepEd office to verify the legitimacy of any message or call before taking action.
The advisory comes as government agencies continue to intensify efforts against impersonation, phishing, and online fraud schemes targeting public servants.
Cybercriminals have increasingly exploited the identities of government officials and agencies to gain the trust of victims and convince them to transfer money or divulge confidential information.
Earlier this year, DepEd likewise warned the public against fake fundraising activities that falsely used the names of the department and its officials to solicit donations supposedly intended for victims of the Mindanao earthquake. The department clarified that such activities were unauthorized and urged the public to verify all announcements and donation drives through its official communication channels.
DepEd reiterated that all official transactions, notices, and legal or administrative processes are communicated through established and legitimate procedures, not through unsolicited requests for payments.
The agency encouraged both employees and the public to exercise caution, verify suspicious communications with the proper DepEd offices, and immediately report impersonation attempts to prevent others from becoming victims of the scam. DEF
