We would like to remind everyone to stay vigilant when receiving messages through Google Chat or other online messaging platforms.
We have been informed that an individual is impersonating UPOU FICS Dean Roberto B. Figueroa Jr. and sending messages requesting money or financial assistance. Please be advised that these messages are not legitimate.
To help protect yourself and others, please observe the following:
- Verify unexpected requests for money or financial assistance through official UPOU communication channels before responding. Before clicking any links or sending money, take a moment to confirm the request with the purported sender through an independent channel such as their official UPOU email address, a known phone number, or another trusted means of communication. Avoid relying on the same conversation where the suspicious request was received.
- Do not share personal, financial, or account information with unverified contacts.
- Do not engage with the sender, even as a joke or to “test” the scammer. Replying, teasing, or attempting to trick the sender may confirm that your account is active, which can encourage further attempts or lead to more sophisticated social engineering attacks.
- Ignore, block, and report suspicious messages. If possible, take a screenshot and report the incident to the FICS Office at [email protected] or UPOU ICTDO Tech Support at [email protected].
Thank you for helping keep our community safe.
By taking a moment to verify unexpected requests, we can all help protect one another from online scams.
Stay safe, everyone!