IDENTITY THEFT LEAVES PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER IN DEBT

Identity theft has become one of the most pressing issues in the Philippines. With the emergence of technology, there are barely people on the internet whom we can trust. According to Tupas (2024), the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group revealed that the identity theft cases in the Philippines increased by 14% in 2023, with a total number of 1,597 cases. One of the most famous identity theft cases in the Philippines happened in 2016. According to GMA News (2016), Mark Joseph Lontok, a public school teacher, was notified by three different banks, stating that he has over ₱800,000 worth of loans. Lontok denied applying from any of the banks and shared he recalls posting a photo of his Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID on Facebook after passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET). The news quickly spread in the mainstream, with many people expressing their concern about the safety of their personal information. After the news came out, one of the banks submitted a photo of the man using Lontok’s identity. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) warned the public to remain cautious about sharing personal information online.

According to reports, the threat happened 8 years ago. The attacker in this case was an unidentified identity thief who exploited the personal information of Mark Joseph Lontok. The attack involved using a photo of Lontok's Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID to impersonate him and apply for salary loans. By using his identity, the attackers managed to secure loans without his knowledge, which led to unauthorized deductions from his payroll.

The perpetrators behind the cybercrime attack on the public school teacher's Facebook account, which was used to scam people out of money, were never apprehended, and no details of their arrest have been revealed. The attack targeted two main entities: the public school teacher whose Facebook profile was taken over for fraudulent purposes, and the individuals who lost funds due to swindles committed by fake teachers whom they were naive enough to remit donations.

The overall financial damage caused by the identity theft now stands at 810,000 pesos. This amount consists of the original 800,000 pesos as well as an extra 10,000 pesos withdrawn from a different bank. The victim is expected to encounter increased financial difficulties and might need additional legal support to recoup the stolen money and deal with the aftermath of the offense. The teacher quickly requested assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to report the incident and submit a complaint. The NBI quickly initiated an inquiry to determine the culprit and retrieve the stolen money. Due to the fraudulent loans, the teacher might have to consider initiating a lawsuit against the lenders. In order to avoidsimilar incidents, the NBI is advising the public to be cautious when sharing their personal information on the internet, especially sensitive data such as PRC IDs and Social Security numbers.

Several security measures were put in place to stop the identity theft attack against Mark Joseph Lontok. The people were cautioned by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to exercise caution when revealing personal information online. They were reminded of the value of maintaining one's privacy by refraining from revealing private documents, such as identification cards and job offers, on social media. One of the participating banks further went above and beyond by providing images of the person who applied for the loan using Lontok's identity. This action played a critical role in locating the offender and stopping further fraud.

Another case of identity theft happened in 2018. Knox County Schools teacher Ashley Wright admitted guilt to identity theft and took thousands of dollars from friends, family, and coworkers. She was given two years of supervised probation and 48 hours in jail. During the court hearings, victims including Wright's mother-in-law and neighbors delivered emotional impact statements. Wright's defense claimed that her acts were motivated by medication induced unpredictable conduct and postpartum depression. Judge Scott Green pointed out the betrayal of trust in rejecting judicial diversion even after she apologized. Wright's deceitful actions, encompassing unlawful credit card applications and loans, have resulted in significant financial and emotional distress for her targets.

To avoid attacks like this in the future, government agencies and organizations, such as the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), should establish stronger policies on exchanging sensitive personal information. This might include stricter regulations for sharing personal information on social media, as well as encouraging the public to be more cautious. The next step is to conduct public awareness campaigns. These might educate people about the risks of revealing personal information online. These campaigns might contain information about the dangers of uploading documents on social media, such as PRC IDs, as well as how to protect yourself from phishing and other frauds. Finally, financial institutions should use stronger identity verification processes when issuing loans or creating accounts. Fraud might be reduced by using multi-factor authentication, biometric verification, or requiring in-person proof.