Facebook copycat accounts can be reported to the NBI

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said that that copycat Facebook accounts can be reported to the agency.

In a report by ABS-CBN, the NBI Cybercrime Division chief Victor Lorenzo said that the duplicate accounts could have been caused by a glitch in Facebook’s systems.

“Ang tinitingnan pa lang namin ngayon, in all probability, glitch lang ito dahil napakahirap mag-create ng account ngayon sa Facebook, especially kapag madami kang kini-create na account under one ID, one cellphone number, one location,” he told TeleRadyo.

Lorenzo said that the agency is investigating whether the accounts were created deliberately, and is coordinating with other agencies and Facebook. He added that victims can report the copycat accounts to the NBI and Facebook, in accordance with R.A. 10175 or the Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act.

According to R.A. 10175, online identity theft is the “intentional acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession, alteration or deletion of identifying information belonging to another, whether natural or juridical, without right.” It is punishable by 6 to 12 years in prison and requires a fine of at least PHP 200,000 for the damage incurred to the victim.

Lorenzo warned the public in clicking suspicious Facebook messages with links for it may contain malicious sites made by hackers to steal their information. The public is also encouraged to practice data privacy by not posting their personal details, IDs, and even plane tickets online.

Yesterday, the National Privacy Commission received reports of the massive dummy and duplicate Facebook accounts which bears the name of existing university students, alumni, and members of the academe.

source: ABS-CBN