DOTR warns vs scammers posing as Secretary Giovanni Lopez

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday warned the public against scammers who pose as Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez on messaging applications and ask for money.

In an advisory posted on its Facebook page, the DOTr stressed that Lopez and other DOTr officials and personnel “will never ask for money to be sent to them nor conduct official transactions outside the agency’s recognized and authorized channels.”

The post was accompanied by screenshots of an exchange between the individual impersonating Lopez and a victim.

The scammer asked the victim to transfer a sum of money to a certain bank account, with the promise that the amount would be immediately repaid.

“The public is also reminded not to disclose any sensitive information over the phone,” the DOTr said.

The DOTr said it is coordinating with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and other government agencies over the matter.

The agency also urged the public to immediately report fraudulent messages by calling the DOTr commuter hotline at 0920-964-3687. — JMA, GMA News