Claim: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) posted links for its 2024 personnel recruitment. The Facebook post also included a link to the application site.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: Several versions of the claim have been circulating on Facebook. One such post came from the page “PRC Board and Exam Results,” which has 4,800 likes and 15,000 followers.
The posts claim to provide information on the PCG’s recruitment process and a link to download the application form. The posts also instruct interested applicants to enter their submissions through a website that asks them to provide their personal information such as name, email, and phone number.
According to the post’s caption, the application deadline is April 30, 2024.
The facts: The posts announcing the PCG recruitment process are fake.
In a Facebook post on April 4, the PCG warned the public about unauthorized job posts online, saying that credible announcements regarding the Coast Guard’s nationwide recruitment process are made only on their official and verified Facebook page and on the Coast Guard Human Resource Management Command (CGHRMC)’s page.
“Kung ibang Facebook page ang nag-post, huwag itong paniwalaan. I-report ang mga Facebook page na naglalabas ng mga fake recruitment announcements upang maiwasan ang pambibiktima sa mga kapwa aplikante online, ” the PCG added.
(If the announcement came from a different Facebook page, don’t believe it. Report these Facebook pages sharing fake recruitment announcements to avoid victimizing fellow applicants online.)
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Phishing risk: The supposed website for the submission of applications is also fake and not from the PCG. Clicking the link redirects to an unverified blog website, not the official website of the PCG.
According to the Coast Guard, the fake link may put aspiring PCG applicants at risk of falling victim to phishing scams or identity theft because it asks for their sensitive information and documents. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)
Rappler had fact-checked a similar post in January. The link provided in the misleading post also does not lead to the official PCG website but to an unaffiliated page.
Official accounts: For official updates on PCG’s recruitment announcements, refer to CGHRMC’s social media accounts on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. – Larry Chavez/Rappler.com
Larry Chavez is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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