Several versions of a supposed Philippine Airlines promo offering flights for P168 have been circulating on Facebook. These are fake.
Posted last March 7, multiple ads claimed that the country’s flag carrier is offering a card for six free flights worldwide at a cheap price. One post by a FB page bearing PAL’s logo on its display picture carried this caption:
“DREAMING OF TRAVELING? We offer the opportunity to visit any country for free! Go to our website and apply for a card for 6 free flights worldwide for only P168!”
The attached link’s thumbnail is a PAL aircraft’s Shutterstock photo, with a superimposed image of a hand holding the supposed “card for 6 free flight.”
Another FB page posted links to the same website but claimed that the “certificate” grants them six months of free flights instead. The posts made it seem that PAL’s P168 flights are either part of its “30th anniversary” or its “Caring for the Planet” initiative. One said it was because of the airline’s “lack of passengers.”
Netizens are directed to apply at the attached site that first bore the domain name tropicaltreasurexchange.com before it changed into mira-claes-silo.com after a few hours. Earlier posts led to an identical website bearing the domain name smartglobalfruitbounty.com. The sites collect personal information and bank account details.
All the ads are a hoax. PAL’s official FB page debunked the circulating sites in its March 7 advisory.
“Unscrupulous individuals have created bogus Facebook sites announcing a PHP168 flight promo. There are other fake FB sites announcing that PAL is selling suitcases worth PHP110. Please do not engage with these fake sites as doing so will compromise your personal data,” a part of their statement read.
PAL only issues official announcements and flight promotional ads on their website (philippineairlines.com) and official FB page (facebook.com/PhilippineAirlines).
In December, claims about PAL selling suitcases also circulated. VERA Files debunked a similar scam that used the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s name instead. (Read Unclaimed ‘luggage sale’ at NAIA FAKE)
The fake ads circulated days after the airline launched a blowout seat sale to celebrate its 83rd anniversary.
FB pages such as Mga kumportableng flight and Best flight deals – Philippines, both newly created on March 7, posted multiple fake ads.
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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.)