Fake facebook (FB) posts about exchanging P20 peso coins for cash or sacks of rice are baits to a scam. They redirect users to an impostor website of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
One post offers to buy one P20 coin for P600 while another promises two sacks of rice if netizens click on a bit.ly link that supposedly brings them to a shop where they can send a message and sell coins.
This link redirects to a Blogspot website named DSWD NEWS AND UPDATE that carries a post titled “P20.00 COINS MO BILHIN NAMIN NG P600.00 ANG ISA (We’ll buy your P20 coins for P600 each) | 100% LEGIT.” There are no explanations on how the alleged exchange works, or any further mention of receiving sacks of rice.
The fake post also lists an alleged cash giveaway schedule of the DSWD. This information, however, does not exist in the department’s official social media pages and website.
The fake post on the coin exchange featured photos of two victims of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) in Siargao receiving P5,000 from the DSWD. They were put alongside photos of P20 coins.
DSWD NEWS AND UPDATE, in its archive, contains several fake posts about the DSWD’s programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, conditional cash transfer, and other schemes. One such cash handout plan was found by VERA Files Fact Check to be bogus.
FB page Coins Bank Philippines (created last April 1) reshared several posts by another FB page Coins Go Express Philippines (created last April 4). Both bait netizens to click on bogus links by claiming they can exchange P20 peso coins for P600 or two sacks of rice.
Coins Bank Philippines’ post got 5,300 reactions, 13,000 comments, and 35,000 shares.
Several netizens who saw the fake FB post asked how they could swap their coins for rice, while others asked if the exchange was real.
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)