Don’t expose national ID on social media to avoid fraud, PSA tells public

A graphic representation of the national ID. Art by Ed Lustan

MANILA, Philippines — The national identification cards issued by the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) are not for posting on social media, lest the public fall victim to fraud.

PSA Assistant Secretary Rose Bautista said the agency have communicated with people who have been monitored as having posted or exposed their IDs on various social media platforms.

“Please lang, huwag ninyo gawin ‘yan. Ang ating ID is something na dapat tinatago at hindi ine-expose kasi sa fraud,” she said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(Please don’t do that. Our IDs are something that should be kept hidden and not be exposed to avoid fraud.)

“Huwag nila i-expose ang kanilang PhilSys ID para hindi ito maging pang-engganyo para doon sa mga gustong magpeke,” she added.

(They shouldn’t expose their PhilSys ID so that unscrupulous people won’t use it to fake theirs.)

The PSA warned those intending to use fake IDs that they have personnel specifically for detecting fraud and could file charges against them.

“Mayroon tayong karampatang penalties, charges. Mayroon fraud management division dito sa PhilSys registry office na will look into at magpa-file ng mga kaso para doon sa mga madi-discover namin na mayroon kaming basehan na ito ay mga pekeng ID na prinesent nila,” she said.

(That has corresponding penalties and charges. We have a fraud management division that will look into this and will file cases if people are found to have presented fake IDs.)

As of Sept. 10, at least 1.7 million Filipinos have received their national IDs. Meanwhile, 42 million individuals have at least signed up for PhilSys and 30 million have completed their biometrics capture.

Some five million Filipinos have also already opened bank accounts as they register for the PhilSys.

PSA is aiming to register at least 70 million Filipinos in the PhilSys by end of 2021. It is also aiming to accomplish the biometrics capture of at least 50 million before the year ends.

EDV