Filipinos are warned about a sketchy website that poses as the national government’s One Health Pass for international travelers.
Reporter Mike Navallo posted a screenshot on Twitter that showed the keyword “One Health Pass” yielded two search results via Google.
In his tweet, Navallo noted that the link that asked for charges is fake.
“The 1st search result for One Health Pass looks legit. It will ask for your details but the red flag for me was when it asked for payment details. PH government does not impose fees for One Health Pass,” he said.
Traveling to/returning to the Philippines? BEWARE
Registration with One Health Pass is required before entering the Philippines but it doesn’t require payment.
A quick search online will yield 2 choices:
1st choice is an ad that charges fees, 2nd one is the official website. pic.twitter.com/fzNOskMnal
— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) October 15, 2022
Navallo also posted screenshots of the suspicious platform’s pages.
Based on these images, its website name is “Philippines-Form” and bears a logo of the Philippine flag.
It also has a payment portal that contains different types of payment methods.
He later said that when he did not pursue its application form, the site sent him an email requesting him to finish it.
“The fake One Health Pass website is so persistent it even sent me an email to complete the transaction, which is to enter the payment details. Why am I calling it fake? Because it pretends to process your One Health Pass within ‘1 DAYS.’ No way!” Navallo said.
A cursory check by Interaksyon showed that the Philippines-Form website is still the first search result on Google.
On its homepage, there is a small disclaimer underneath the graphics that indicated its claim as a professional travel agency.
“This Website is a professional travel agency that aims to help individuals and companies complete the necessary travel document requests for short-term stays. There is a service fee, which includes expert help and assistance, and the fees charged by the Government. www.philippines-form.com is not affiliated with the Government or its sponsors,” the disclaimer reads.
The link to the government’s legitimate One Health Pass is provided in the concluding statement.
“An application can also be submitted for a lower cost through the Government’s website here, though this would be without our professional review and expert service,” it said.
What does the real website look like?
The homepage of the government’s travel pass, meanwhile, bears the logo of the Department of Health.
The DOH-Bureau of Quarantine is also indicated at the top.
In the introductory message, DOH stated that One Health Pass is now called an “electronic arrival card” or e-Arrival Card.
Travelers are encouraged to register through the e-arrival card within 72 hours prior to their departure from their country of origin.
DOH also cautioned travelers from scammers that require payment from travelers.
“Registration is FREE OF CHARGE and neither [requires] nor [collects] any online payment. BEWARE of fake, fraudulent, or [scam] websites and entities who [require] payment from the travelers,” the health department said.
Last August, the Office of the Press Secretary released a reminder to travelers that they should only visit one URL for the One Health Pass.
“The Office of the Press Secretary and the Department of Health (Philippines) remind all travelers going to the Philippines that the country’s Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) has only one official One Health Pass (OHP), which is accessible to all and doesn’t require any payment,” the OPS said.
The office advised the public to be vigilant about suspicious websites related to entering the Philippines.
“We hope the public will stay vigilant in accessing fraudulent websites related to the requirements entering the country,” the OPS said.
