The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has alerted overseas Filipino workers and its members about an individual allegedly pretending to be connected with the agency while soliciting payments and communicating with the public using an unauthorized mobile number.
According to OWWA, the person using the name “Michael Dela Peña” is not employed by the agency and has no authority to represent it. The agency also clarified that the mobile number 0909 097 6204, which has been circulating in messages, is not an official OWWA contact number.
The advisory came after reports and screenshots surfaced showing a sender claiming to be from the “24/7 OWWA action center.” In one message, the individual introduced himself as “Michael Dela Peña” and told a recipient that he was following up on an assistance form before asking if he was speaking with a specific person. Another screenshot showed OWWA confirming through a Facebook Messenger conversation that there is no employee by that name and that the number does not belong to the agency.
OWWA likewise reminded members not to transfer money to personal GCash, Maya, e-wallets, bank accounts, or any payment destination sent only through chat messages. It stressed that membership payments should never be made through personal accounts.
For those paying their OWWA membership using GCash, the agency said transactions should only be completed through GCash > Bills > Government > OWWA. Members should also use only the Payment Reference Number (PRN) and the exact amount indicated in the official email issued by OWWA.
The agency further urged the public to keep confidential information secure by refusing to share their OTP, MPIN, passwords, or any other sensitive personal details with anyone claiming to be from OWWA.
OWWA also encouraged the public to immediately block and report suspicious accounts or phone numbers and advised those who need verification or assistance to use its official channels, including OWWA Hotline 1348, owwacares@owwa.gov.ph, and membership.owwa.gov.ph.
