FACT CHECK: Impostor Facebook group shares fake DSWD cash aid offers
Claim: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is offering cash assistance to individuals who send a direct message to a Facebook account.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook account posted a series of graphics in the group “DSWD Cash Assistance Update PayOut” on August 17, 18, and 19.
The posts featured a graphic bearing the official DSWD logo and the face and name of Senator Erwin Tulfo, identifying him as “DSWD Secretary.”
It cites an alleged quote from Tulfo, where he supposedly says, “Ako ay nananawagan sa lahat ng hindi pa nakakatanggap ng cash assistance pakiusap paki message kami ngayon para maipadala na namin.”
(I am appealing to everyone who has not yet received cash assistance, please message us now so we can send it.)
As of writing, the series of posts has garnered 533 reactions, 1,033 comments, and 32 shares as it continues to circulate online.
The comment sections of these posts were flooded with users asking why they had not yet received their cash aid, stating that they had already sent private messages as directed.
The facts: The posts are fake. Neither the DSWD nor Tulfo has issued an announcement urging people to send private Facebook messages to claim cash assistance.
Furthermore, Tulfo is no longer the secretary of the social welfare department, having served only from June to December 2022. As of writing, the current DSWD secretary is Rex Gatchalian.
The agency has repeatedly warned the public against social media posts supposedly offering cash aid or financial support.
“The DSWD emphasized that it has no programs or financial assistance being implemented online or through social media platforms,” it wrote in a previous advisory.
Official financial assistance programs — such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) — are administered through proper government protocols.
For instance, there is no application process for 4Ps. Instead, pursuant to Republic Act 11310, eligible households are identified through the evaluation conducted by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction or the Listahanan, which serves as the primary database used by the DSWD to select potential beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, those applying for aid through the AICS program — which provides aid to individuals in crisis or those recovering from unexpected life events — must submit documentary requirements and undergo assessment and interview before receiving assistance.
Suspicious account and links: The account that shared the claim uses the DSWD name but is not affiliated with the government agency, and its page timeline consists entirely of similar fake posts.
While the graphic advertises financial aid, the text caption promotes unrelated job vacancies, particularly for farmers and cleaners, and provides shortened URLs. These links redirect users to external job posting websites completely unrelated to government social welfare aid, potentially exposing users to phishing or data theft. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)
Debunked: Rappler has previously debunked a related claim regarding alleged cash payouts and DSWD assistance programs from the same Facebook account. – Lyndee Buenagua/Rappler.com
Lyndee Buenagua is a journalist based in Bicol and Baguio, and an alumna of Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
