Beware of Fake DepEd Scholarship Posts Online

The Department of Education (DepEd) issued a warning yesterday against fake DepEd scholarship posts that are spreading online. The agency reminded the public to be vigilant against misinformation and to only rely on official sources for announcements and information.

What are the fake posts?

The fake posts claim that DepEd is offering scholarships this year to all students who are studying. They also say that students only need to apply using their school IDs. According to the posts, elementary students who get the DepEd scholarship will receive P5,000, high school students will receive P7,000, and college and vocational students will receive P10,000. The fake posts also include a photo of Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte wearing a green t-shirt and raising her right hand to her left chest.

How to spot the fake posts?

The fake posts have several red flags that indicate they are not from DepEd. For one, the photo of Sara Duterte is an edited version of her official portrait as Vice President, which can be found on the Office of the Vice President website. The original photo shows her wearing a blue dress and a pearl necklace, not a green t-shirt. Secondly, the fake posts use incorrect spelling and grammar, such as “Deparment” instead of “Department”, “X account” instead of “Twitter account”, and “anunsiyo” instead of “anunsyo”. Thirdly, the fake posts do not provide any link or contact details for the supposed scholarship application, which is a common sign of a scam.

What to do if you encounter the fake posts?

If you encounter the fake posts, do not click on them, share them, or provide any personal information to them. Instead, report them to the appropriate authorities, such as DepEd, the National Bureau of Investigation, or the Philippine National Police. You can also report them to the social media platforms where you saw them, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. To report misleading and suspicious information about basic education to DepEd, you can email depedactioncenter@deped.gov.ph.

Where to find the official DepEd announcements and information?

To find the official DepEd announcements and information, you can visit their official channels, such as their Facebook page at fb.com/DepartmentOfEducation.PH, their Twitter account at twitter.com/DepEd_PH, their Instagram account at instagram.com/depedphilippines, and their website at www.deped.gov.ph. You can also subscribe to their newsletter, watch their videos, or listen to their podcasts. DepEd is committed to providing accurate and timely information to the public, especially during this time of pandemic and distance learning.