A non-profit cybersecurity organization warned Filipinos to be wary of social media accounts exploiting the calamity caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine for “clicks” and profit.
The Cyber Security Philippines (CSP) CERT raised awareness about an activity it called “social media poisoning,” in which an account posts supposed information about weather disturbances.
The post would be accompanied by a picture, which leads to a link completely unrelated to the topic.
In the case of a Facebook account called “Daily Trends PH,” clicking what appeared to be a video thumbnail showing a Windy model of the tropical cyclone leads to an affiliate link to online shopping site, particularly a product.
CSP CERT called such tactics “social media poisoning,” adding that it targets “worried family members, relatives, friends, love ones and Bicolanos” who are “seeking news, pictures or any information about the recent floods in Bicol Region.”
“Be cautious with pages, post and content creators exploiting the recent calamity for clicks, traffic, and profit — we are expecting this activity to evolve and be utilized for malicious link redirection,” it added.
The org also advised the public to look out for a small letter “i” symbol whenever they see such posts with images.
“If you see this sign on what looks like a group of pictures or post related to the recent calamity or trending news, do not click it,” CSP CERT said.
“This is redirect indicator,” it added.
Other Filipinos in the comments suggested fellow internet users “mass report” such posts and accounts misleading people.
“Content [owners], page owners are exploiting the recent calamity for clicks and traffic,” CPS CERT said in its post.
Angat Buhay NGO executive director Raffy Magno also previously warned the public about a scammer posing as their chairperson, former vice president Leni Robredo.
He urged Filipinos only to follow their official social media accounts and to be wary of others pretending to be them.
RELATED: Angat Buhay NGO exec flags scammers using Robredo, org’s name for scams
Meanwhile, Severe Tropical Storm Kristine has since battered the Bicol Region and other parts of Luzon as it crosses the country towards the West Philippine Sea.
The tropical cyclone has left around 20 people dead in Bicol Region alone, according to Regional Police Chief Brigadier Gen. Andre Dizon of the Police Regional Office 5.
The figure has yet to be finalized, but he said that most have died “from drowning or buried in landslides.”
Torrential rains brought by “Kristine” have turned Bicol Region’s streets into rivers and engulfed multiple houses and establishments, causing what is said to be the worst flooding in the region’s history in over five decades.
The tropical cyclone is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by the afternoon of Friday, October 25.
