MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday issued a warning against criminal syndicates impersonating government officials and well-known personalities to solicit donations and sponsorships fraudulently.

In its advisory, the NBI said perpetrators falsely claim affiliations with recognized non-government organizations (NGOs) and contact victims via phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media. They often use caller ID spoofing to make communications appear legitimate, even enabling return calls to seemingly official numbers.

Common signs of these scams include unsolicited messages claiming the recipient was “selected” as a sponsor, urgent demands for immediate payment, instructions to remit funds to personal accounts, and lack of formal documentation on official letterhead.

NBI director Melvin Matibag urged the public to verify all solicitations independently through official channels and not transfer funds based solely on communications from unknown sources. He also emphasized checking registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Vigilance is our first line of defense – verify first before you give. The NBI will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who prey on the goodwill of our people,” Matibag said.

Victims may report incidents to the NBI Cybercrime Division at (02) 8523-8231 local 3724 or via email at cybercrimedivision24@gmail.com. Perpetrators may face charges under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175), estafa provisions of the Revised Penal Code, and other applicable laws.