DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) – Victims of online scams could fall victim a second time as fake pages offering services to recover the money they lost are spreading rapidly on Facebook.
MindaNews monitored multiple Facebook pages presenting themselves as anti-cybercrime groups or scam recovery services.
The pages are fake and have symptoms of being phishing scams or what the Securities and Exchange Commission calls Recovery Scams.
MindaNews fact-checked these pages as they appear legitimate and could victimize more users online.
While the platform enforces community guidelines against fraud and phishing, persistent moderation challenges – both algorithmic and human– allow these schemes to thrive, especially in vulnerable Philippine communities.
These pages typically offer assistance to individuals who have lost money to any kind of online fraud. Some claim they can trace scammers, recover stolen funds, or connect victims to authorities who can help solve cybercrime cases. The pages appear as ads on the dashboards and recur somehow, because these were Sponsored Posts, a paid product of Meta.
The modus is also known as “recovery room scams” according to the United States-based Federal Trade Commission.
In the Philippines, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) issued a warning on June 25, 2025 regarding online scam schemes circulating on social media.
The CICC is a Philippine government agency attached to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and is responsible for enforcing the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
On October 04, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had warned the public about the scheme, referring to “recovery” or “recovery scams”.
How does the scam work?
Through scams like this, scammers typically impersonate attorneys and law firms on social media. The posts on Facebook and other platforms might be in English or a local language.
The scammers typically ask about the personal information of the victim including how much money was involved and how they were scammed. The page will claim they have an app or program that will assist the victim further.
All of the pages that MindaNews monitored have changed names more than one time. Among its community guidelines, Meta discourages misleading its followers about the nature of any page.
Screenshot of the post from the page
The page Gadgets & Kitchen Tech was created on July 31, 2025 and renamed into Cyber Fraud Advisory Assistance Commission on November 18. As of March 16, 2026 the page has 5.2k Followers, one following and zero posts.
Screenshot of the cyber fraud advisory assistance commission with no post
Online Scam Help Desk PH was created July 31, 2025 On the same day, it was renamed as Georgia Talbot and on November 27, 2025 reverted to Online Scam Help Desk PH. As of noon of March 16, 2026, the page has 3.4k followers and one following.
Screenshot of the page changing its name
The Facebook page Anti-Cyber na Pagbawi ng Money’s Post was created on February 7. As of March 24, 2026, the page has 497 followers and follows no other accounts.
Screenshot of the recommendations from the page.
Screenshot of the recommendations from the page.
The page ACG Scam Recovery was created on November 18, 2025 but five days earlier, it was known as Page 3. As of March 16, 2026 the page has 5.4K followers and 3 following.
Screenshot of the recommendations from the page
ML Stamford Asia LLC was created as Giao Khôi on August 7, 2021 and on January 28, 2026 it was changed to ML Stamford Asia LLC. As of March 16, 2026 12:24 pm the page currently has 1.4K likes, 2K followers and 0 following.
Screenshot of the page changing its name.
Digital Scam Awareness and Help Center was created on July 31, 2025 and renamed George Law on the same day. It was changed to Digital Scam Awareness and Help Center on November 27. As of March 16, 2026 the page has 3.1k followers, 0 following.
Screenshot of the page with no post.
MindaNews found that three of these pages were created on the same day on July 31, 2025: Cyber Fraud Advisory Assistance Commission, Online Scam Help Desk PH and Digital Scam Awareness and Help Center.
Likewise, Online scam help desk PH and Digital Scam Awareness and Help Center changed the name of their respective pages on the same day on July 31, 2025.
MindaNews noted that as of March 17, 2026 11:21 am, the page Cyber Fraud Advisory Assistance Commission page checked by MindaNews was already deleted.
Using the Page Transparency tabs of each page, MindaNews found that the pages were managed by administrators from several countries.
Unlike the scam pages, the legitimate George Law is a Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Law Firm based in Michigan and South Florida including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. The law firm consists of lawyers Derrick George, Esq., Maggie George, Esq., Megan Macdonald, Esq., Melinda Gaied, Esq. and Brian Lipson, Esq.
MindaNews reached out to one of the fake pages last Tuesday, March 10. The page provided a number to be called via Whatsapp or Viber. The woman who answered the call identified herself to be a pro bono lawyer but would not provide more details about herself.
According to the supposed lawyer, who identified herself as ‘Joy Esguera,’ she “only provides guidance and basic legal information without payment. The “lawyer” asked for details like a copy of IDs and signature samples, the amount supposedly scammed or lost from a previous platform, and the name of the recipient of the first transaction.
As the conversation continued, the person refused to disclose any more information about the page, until she was sent proof of lost funds.
Committing online fraud violates Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which covers offenses such as identity theft and phishing, including the use of online platforms like GCash to deceive others for financial gain.
Online fraud committed through platforms such as GCash may be punishable under RA 10175. Penalties include imprisonment of 6 years and 1 day to 12 years, a fine of at least ₱200,000, or both, depending on the offense.
As with all our other reports, MindaNews welcomes fact-check leads or suggestions from the public. (Rose Ann Obenza and Shannen Jeen Vinluan / DOrSU Intern)
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