The Department of Justice (DoJ) issued a warning to the public on Monday about a rise in online scams, particularly during the Christmas season.

Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV reported an increase in scamming activities in recent months and urged the public to be extra cautious when interacting with people on social media or messaging platforms.

Clavano stressed the importance of staying vigilant and verifying the identities of those you communicate with, particularly as many people are distracted by their mobile phones during the holiday season. “As avid users of social media, Filipinos are especially vulnerable to these scams,” he said.

The DoJ encouraged individuals to report any instances of online scams to the Office of Cybercrime. Clavano also highlighted a recent case involving ABS-CBN host Migs Bustos, who filed a complaint with the DoJ after scammers impersonated him online.

Bustos shared that the scammers had been using his and his family’s images to deceive others, including a victim from Orlando, Florida, who lost $2,000 to the fraudsters.

“This is alarming. It's time to take action,” Bustos said, stressing the importance of protecting people from such fraudulent schemes, especially during the holiday season when many are in need. Clavano added, “We hope people earn money through the right means.”