05 October 2026 — The Philippine Embassy in the Republic of Korea alerts the public to a fraudulent Telegram account using the username @bernatheresef07, which falsely uses the name, photograph, and identity of Philippine Ambassador Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez.

Please be informed that this account is NOT affiliated with Ambassador Fernandez or with the Philippine Embassy.

Ambassador Fernandez, as well as officials and personnel of the Philippine Embassy, will NEVER solicit money, request fund transfers, ask for loans or financial assistance, or seek payment through Telegram, WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, Messenger, SMS, or any other messaging application.

The public is strongly advised not to reply to or engage with such accounts, not to send money, and not to provide personal, banking, financial, or identification information. Scammers may use familiar names, photographs, official titles, urgency, or requests for confidentiality to pressure intended victims.
 
If you receive such a message:
 
 - Do not respond or engage with the sender.
 - Do not send money or provide personal or financial information.
 - Take screenshots and preserve the account details and messages.
 - Block and report the fraudulent account to the messaging platform.
 - Independently verify suspicious communications through the Embassy’s official contact channels through the official Philippine Embassy contact information:
 
Embassy Telephone Number: +82 2-788-2100
Assistance-to-Nationals / Emergency Hotline: +82 10-9263-8119
Email: atn@philembassy-seoul.com / consular@philembassy-seoul.com
Website: www.philembassy-seoul.com

The Philippine Embassy will never solicit money through messaging apps. Please do not engage, do not send money and report the account. 

Thank you.