Palawan State University (PalawanSU) has warned students, suppliers, and the public against a fraudulent recruitment and solicitation scheme involving an individual posing as a university official and demanding payments for supposed campus entry permits.
In a public advisory, PalawanSU said a Facebook account using the name “Ortiz Justine,” who claims to be a “Procurement Head Manager,” has been contacting individuals to schedule meetings and solicit payments for “entry permits.”
PalawanSU clarified that the individual is not connected to the university and is not authorized to transact on its behalf.
“Palawan State University officially clarifies that the individual identified as ‘Ortiz Justine’ is not an employee, official, or authorized representative of the Procurement Office,” the university said.
The university stressed that it does not require any “pass permit fees” or “entry payments” to be sent through GCash, Union Digital Bank, or any personal bank account for meetings or campus access.
“As all legitimate financial transactions are conducted exclusively through the Cashier’s Office or officially designated university bank accounts, no university official will ever use a personal Facebook account to demand ‘proof of payment’ for gate access or claim that payments will be ‘refunded in cash’ upon arrival,” PalawanSU said, adding that this is “a common tactic used in financial scams.”
The university urged those who may have been contacted to immediately stop any transactions and verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent PalawanSU through official channels, including the university administration or the Office of Human Resource Management and Development.
PalawanSU also advised victims and the public to report fraudulent accounts to Facebook and coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division or the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group.
For verification of transactions or identities, the university said concerned parties may contact the Public Information Office through its official email at [email protected].
