If your name, photo, ID, social media profile, or business identity is being used to promote an online casino, betting page, “affiliate earning” scheme, or gambling referral link without your consent, treat it as both an identity misuse problem and a potential cybercrime. The goal is not only to take the post down, but also to preserve evidence, stop further use of your identity, warn people who may be deceived, and report the correct parties to the proper Philippine agencies.

What “identity misuse” means in online gambling affiliate schemes

In this context, identity misuse usually happens when another person or group uses your identity to make an online gambling offer look trustworthy.

Common examples include:

A fake Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, or Viber account using your name and photo to invite people to bet.
A gambling “agent” or “affiliate” page claiming you are connected with a casino, sportsbook, or e-games platform.
Your government ID, selfie, passport, work ID, company logo, or signature being used to verify a gambling account.
A fake testimonial saying you earned money from a casino referral program.
A deepfake, edited video, or AI-generated image making it appear that you endorsed a gambling website.
A referral link or QR code posted under your name.
A fake “investment” or “passive income” scheme where people are told to deposit money into betting wallets, casino accounts, or e-wallets.

This is especially serious because online gambling schemes often move quickly. The page may disappear, change names, shift to another domain, or move victims to Telegram or WhatsApp after the first contact. Evidence must be preserved before reporting.

Is this illegal in the Philippines?

It can be. The exact case depends on what the offender did, what identity information was used, and whether money was collected from victims.

The main Philippine laws that may apply are:

Situation	Possible legal basis
Someone intentionally uses your identifying information online without authority	Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, particularly computer-related identity theft
Someone collects, uses, shares, or processes your personal data without a lawful basis	Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012
People are deceived into depositing money, buying credits, or paying “activation fees”	Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code on estafa or swindling
Your ID, signature, certificate, or document was altered or used falsely	Articles 171 and 172 of the Revised Penal Code on falsification
Your name or image is used in a way that damages your reputation, privacy, or peace of mind	Civil Code Articles 19, 20, 21, and 26
Bank accounts or e-wallets are used to receive scam proceeds	Republic Act No. 12010, or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act
The gambling site claims to be licensed but is not listed by PAGCOR	PAGCOR regulations and possible illegal gambling or fraud concerns

Under RA 10175, computer-related identity theft includes the intentional acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession, alteration, or deletion of identifying information belonging to another person without right. This is why a fake gambling affiliate page using your photo, name, ID, or account details should not be treated as a mere “online issue.”

First steps: preserve evidence before anything disappears

Before messaging the scammer or reporting the page inside the platform, collect evidence. Many victims lose useful proof because the page gets deleted after the first report.

Take screenshots, but do it properly

Capture:

The fake profile or page name.
The profile URL or page URL.
The username, handle, page ID, or group link.
The post, story, reel, video, or ad using your identity.
The gambling website, referral link, QR code, or promo code.
Comments from people who were invited to deposit or register.
Chat messages where the fake account pretends to be you.
Payment instructions, e-wallet numbers, bank account names, crypto wallet addresses, or screenshots of receipts.
Dates and times visible on the screen.
The full browser address bar where possible.

For Facebook pages and ads, also save the “Page transparency” details and any available ad information. For websites, screenshot the domain, footer, alleged license number, “PAGCOR licensed” claim, contact page, and deposit instructions.

Record a short screen video

A screen recording is useful because it shows the path from the fake profile to the post, link, website, payment instruction, or chat. It helps investigators see that the screenshots were not isolated images.

Save the links in a document

Prepare a simple evidence log like this:

Evidence item	Link or identifier	Date and time seen	Notes
Fake Facebook profile	Full URL	7 July 2026, 8:15 PM	Uses my photo and name
Gambling referral post	Full URL	7 July 2026, 8:18 PM	Says I am an affiliate
Casino website	Domain name	7 July 2026, 8:20 PM	Claims PAGCOR license
GCash number	Number and account name	7 July 2026, 8:22 PM	Used for deposits

Do not rely on memory. A clear timeline makes your complaint stronger.

Check whether the gambling site is licensed or fake

PAGCOR regulates authorized gaming operations in the Philippines and maintains regulatory information through its official website. PAGCOR has warned the public about illegal online betting operations and advises checking legitimate gaming entities through its official PAGCOR regulatory site.

Be careful with websites that:

Display the PAGCOR logo but do not appear on official PAGCOR lists.
Show a “license certificate” that cannot be verified.
Claim to be an offshore gaming operator or “PAGCOR offshore licensee.”
Ask players to send deposits to personal e-wallets or individual bank accounts.
Use agents, influencers, or “affiliate managers” who avoid written company details.
Move conversations from public pages to Telegram, WhatsApp, or private Viber groups.
Promise guaranteed winnings, fixed commissions, or “sure income” from betting referrals.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 74 in 2024 imposing a ban on POGOs, Internet Gaming Licensees, and other offshore gaming operations. Local PAGCOR-regulated electronic gaming is a separate regulatory category, so the key practical step is to verify the specific operator, website, and license claim through PAGCOR, not through a screenshot sent by the promoter.

Where to report identity misuse in online gambling schemes

Report to the agency that matches the problem. In many cases, you may need to report to more than one office.

Problem	Where to report
Fake account, impersonation, online scam, cyber identity theft	PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division
Unauthorized use of personal data, ID, photo, or sensitive information	National Privacy Commission
Illegal or suspicious online gambling site claiming PAGCOR authority	PAGCOR
Bank, e-wallet, or payment account used for deposits or scam proceeds	Bank/e-wallet provider first, then BSP if unresolved
Investment-like “affiliate income” or passive income recruitment	Securities and Exchange Commission
Overseas victim or foreign suspect with Philippine elements	NBI/PNP Cybercrime, DOJ Office of Cybercrime, and possibly consular channels

How to report to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division

For criminal investigation, the usual options are the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group and the National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division.

The NBI Citizen’s Charter page for cybercrime complaints states that the Cybercrime Division assists complainants, conducts preliminary interviews, receives sworn statements or affidavits, and collects supporting documents. Its listed intake process has no fee and an initial processing time of about 1 hour and 10 minutes, although the actual investigation can take longer depending on the evidence, suspects, platforms, and required digital tracing. See the NBI’s official page on Investigative Assistance for Victims of Computer Crimes.

Prepare these documents

Bring or prepare:

Valid government-issued ID.
A written narrative of what happened.
Printed screenshots and digital copies.
URLs, usernames, domains, phone numbers, and payment account details.
Screen recordings saved in a USB drive or cloud folder.
Your proof of identity ownership, such as the original photo, original ID, original social media account, company registration, or official profile.
Receipts or transaction records if money was lost.
Names and contact details of witnesses or victims who were contacted by the fake account.
A draft complaint-affidavit, if available.

What to write in the complaint-affidavit

A complaint-affidavit is a sworn written statement. It should explain facts, not arguments. Keep it chronological.

Include:

Your full name, address, contact details, and identification.
How you discovered the misuse.
What exact identity information was used.
The fake account, page, website, or group involved.
Why you did not authorize the use of your identity.
Whether people were deceived or asked to deposit money.
Whether your reputation, business, employment, or safety was affected.
The evidence attached.
The relief you are asking for, such as investigation, preservation of data, identification of the account holder, and filing of proper charges.

A simple sentence can be:

I did not create, authorize, manage, promote, endorse, or benefit from the Facebook page and gambling referral links shown in Annexes “A” to “D,” and the use of my name, photograph, and identity documents in those materials was without my knowledge or consent.

Have the affidavit notarized if it will be formally submitted. If you are abroad, ask the receiving agency what format they will accept. Philippine authorities may require a consularized or apostilled document depending on how and where it was executed. The DFA provides guidance through its official Apostille information portal.

How to report to the National Privacy Commission

If your personal information, photo, ID, address, contact number, passport, government ID, or sensitive personal information was used without consent, report the matter to the National Privacy Commission.

The Data Privacy Act protects personal information in both government and private-sector information systems. It also gives data subjects rights, including rights relating to access, correction, objection, and complaints concerning unlawful processing.

The NPC’s official complaint page says a formal complaint must use the required format, be printed, filled out, notarized, and submitted to the NPC in person, by courier, or by scanned email to the NPC complaints address. See the NPC’s page on filing formal complaints and its official contact page.

When an NPC complaint is useful

File with the NPC when:

Your ID was uploaded or used to verify a gambling account.
Your photo or personal details were posted in a fake endorsement.
A company, marketing agency, or affiliate network processed your data without permission.
You asked for takedown or correction and the data controller ignored you.
Your personal data was exposed to harassment, threats, or fraud.
A gambling operator or affiliate failed to explain where they got your data.

The NPC process is separate from a criminal cybercrime complaint. The NPC focuses on data privacy violations and compliance, while PNP/NBI focuses on criminal investigation.

How to report to PAGCOR

If the scheme involves an online casino, sports betting site, e-games platform, “PAGCOR licensed” claim, or gambling affiliate program, report it to PAGCOR.

PAGCOR has warned the public that unauthorized gaming activities expose people to unscrupulous groups and that only legitimate online gaming operations should be relied on. Its regulatory contact page lists the Electronic Gaming Licensing Department and other departments, with official contact information available through the PAGCOR regulatory contact page.

What to send to PAGCOR

Include:

The gambling website URL.
Screenshots of the website and alleged license.
The affiliate page or agent profile using your identity.
Any PAGCOR logo or certificate displayed.
Payment methods and account names shown.
Your statement that your identity was used without consent.
Any reports already filed with NBI, PNP, NPC, or the platform.

Ask PAGCOR to verify whether the operator, website, brand, sub-brand, service provider, or venue is authorized. If the site is not authorized, PAGCOR’s response can help support your complaints with other agencies and platforms.

Report the fake account or content to the platform

Platform reporting is not a substitute for legal reporting, but it may stop ongoing harm quickly.

Use the official reporting tools of the platform involved:

Facebook or Instagram: report as impersonation, scam, fraud, intellectual property misuse, or privacy violation.
TikTok: use TikTok’s official guide on reporting an impersonation account.
YouTube: use YouTube’s privacy and identity procedures through its page on protecting your identity.
Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, or Discord: report the account, group, channel, or message using in-app tools and preserve screenshots before sending the report.
Domain or website host: report abuse to the registrar, hosting provider, or Cloudflare-type service if visible from the website’s records.

When reporting, avoid vague wording like “this is fake.” Use precise language:

This page is impersonating me and using my name and photo without consent to promote an online gambling affiliate/referral scheme. I am not connected with the casino, website, page, agent, or referral links. The content exposes me and the public to fraud and identity misuse.

If your bank account, e-wallet, or SIM was used

Identity misuse becomes more urgent if a financial account, e-wallet, or SIM appears to be registered under your name or connected to your documents.

Contact the provider immediately

Report to:

Your bank.
GCash, Maya, GrabPay, or other e-wallet provider.
Your telecom provider if a SIM is involved.
The receiving bank or e-wallet shown in the scam deposit instructions.

Ask for:

Account freeze or hold, if your account was compromised.
Investigation of unauthorized transactions.
Preservation of logs and transaction records.
Written reference number or ticket number.
Confirmation whether an account was opened or verified using your identity.

The BSP advises financial consumers to report concerns first to the financial institution’s own consumer assistance mechanism, then escalate unresolved complaints through the BSP Consumer Assistance Mechanism, including the BSP Online Buddy or the official CIR form. See BSP’s Consumer Assistance Channels and Chatbot.

Why RA 12010 matters

The Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act addresses fraudulent use of financial accounts, including schemes involving electronic communications and e-wallets. If an online gambling affiliate scam used bank accounts, e-wallets, or payment accounts to collect deposits, mention this in your complaint.

If you are a foreigner or an OFW outside the Philippines

You may still report if the fake gambling scheme has Philippine links, such as:

The fake page targets Filipinos.
The operator claims PAGCOR licensing.
The payment account is in the Philippines.
The person misusing your identity is in the Philippines.
The damage occurred while you were in the Philippines.
A Philippine computer system, account, SIM, e-wallet, or platform user is involved.

RA 10175 gives Philippine courts jurisdiction over cybercrime violations in several situations, including when any element is committed in the Philippines, when a computer system used is wholly or partly situated in the Philippines, or when damage is caused to a person who was in the Philippines at the time of the offense.

For documents signed abroad, ask whether the agency requires notarization, consular acknowledgment, or apostille. If you execute an affidavit in a country that is part of the Apostille Convention, an apostille may be accepted for Philippine use. If the country is not an Apostille country, consular authentication may still be required.

Common mistakes that weaken reports

Deleting the post before preserving evidence

Do not focus only on takedown. If the content disappears before you save links, screenshots, and identifiers, investigators may have a harder time tracing it.

Reporting only to the platform

A platform may remove a page, but it usually will not investigate estafa, falsification, identity theft, or illegal gambling in the way law enforcement can.

Sending angry messages to the scammer

This often alerts the offender, causing them to delete evidence, block you, or move victims elsewhere.

Submitting screenshots without URLs

Screenshots help, but URLs, usernames, page IDs, phone numbers, domains, and transaction references are more useful for tracing.

Assuming “PAGCOR logo” means licensed

Fake gambling websites often display logos, seals, and certificates. Always verify through official PAGCOR channels.

Treating it as a private misunderstanding

If your identity is being used to collect deposits, promote betting, or recruit affiliates, there may be victims who believe they are dealing with you. A formal report helps protect your record.

Documents checklist

Document or evidence	Needed for
Valid government ID	PNP, NBI, NPC, banks, platforms
Complaint-affidavit	Criminal complaint, NPC complaint, prosecutor filing
Screenshots with URLs	All reports
Screen recording	Cybercrime investigation and platform takedown
Original photo/profile/ID proof	Proving impersonation
Payment receipts or account details	Estafa, AFASA, bank/e-wallet reports
Witness statements	If others were contacted or deceived
PAGCOR verification screenshot or reply	Illegal gambling angle
Platform report reference numbers	Follow-up and documentation
Bank/e-wallet ticket numbers	Financial account investigation

Expected timelines in practice

Action	Typical timing
Evidence gathering	Same day
Platform report	Same day; takedown may take hours to weeks
Bank or e-wallet fraud ticket	Same day to a few business days for initial response
NBI/PNP intake	Often same day if documents are ready
NPC complaint preparation	Depends on notarization and completeness
PAGCOR verification or referral	Varies by department and complexity
Prosecutor preliminary investigation	Often several months, depending on docket and respondent participation
Court case	Can take years if charges are filed and trial proceeds

The most important practical deadline is immediate preservation. Online evidence is volatile. Pages, ads, domains, referral links, and chat accounts can vanish within minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I report someone for using my photo to promote online gambling?

Yes. If your photo, name, or identity was used without your consent to promote an online gambling site or affiliate scheme, it may involve computer-related identity theft under RA 10175, unauthorized processing under the Data Privacy Act, and civil liability for damage to your privacy or reputation.

What if the fake page says I am a casino agent or affiliate?

Save evidence and report it to the platform, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division, and PAGCOR if a gambling operator or license claim is involved. State clearly that you did not authorize the page, agent profile, referral link, or promotion.

Is a screenshot enough evidence?

A screenshot is helpful, but it is better to include the URL, profile link, page ID, username, date and time, screen recording, chat logs, payment details, and a written timeline. Investigators need identifiers that can be traced.

Should I message the person who used my identity?

Usually, no. Messaging the offender can cause them to delete evidence or move to another account. Preserve evidence first, then report through the proper channels.

Can I file a complaint if I am abroad?

Yes, if the case has Philippine links. You may need a notarized, consularized, or apostilled affidavit depending on where you signed it and what the receiving agency requires. If possible, authorize a trusted representative in the Philippines through a properly executed Special Power of Attorney.

What if people already sent money because they believed the fake account was mine?

Ask the victims to preserve their own evidence and file their own reports. Their receipts, chats, and payment records can support estafa, cybercrime, and financial account scam investigations. You should also file your own report to show that your identity was misused.

Can I report a gambling website directly to PAGCOR?

Yes. Send PAGCOR the website, screenshots, alleged license details, affiliate page, and your statement that your identity was used without consent. PAGCOR can verify whether the operator or platform is authorized.

Can the National Privacy Commission order takedown?

The NPC can act on data privacy complaints and may issue orders within its authority, but urgent content removal should also be pursued through the platform, the website host, and law enforcement if the matter involves cybercrime or fraud.

What if the fake account used my company logo or business name?

Preserve evidence showing ownership of the business name, SEC or DTI registration, trademark documents if any, official website, and official social media accounts. The case may involve identity misuse, unfair or fraudulent representation, intellectual property issues, cybercrime, and civil damages.

Do I need a lawyer to report identity misuse?

You can file initial reports yourself, especially for urgent takedown, NBI/PNP intake, PAGCOR verification, NPC complaint preparation, and bank or e-wallet reports. A lawyer becomes more useful when preparing affidavits, coordinating multiple victims, filing a prosecutor complaint, claiming damages, or responding to accusations from people who were deceived by the fake account.

Key Takeaways

Identity misuse in online gambling affiliate schemes may be a cybercrime, data privacy violation, estafa-related act, or civil wrong.
Preserve evidence before reporting or confronting anyone.
Report cyber identity theft and scam activity to PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division.
Report unauthorized use of your personal data, ID, or photo to the National Privacy Commission.
Report suspicious gambling websites, fake PAGCOR license claims, and unauthorized gaming promotions to PAGCOR.
Report compromised bank, e-wallet, or SIM accounts immediately to the provider, then escalate unresolved financial complaints through BSP channels.
For foreigners and OFWs, Philippine remedies may still apply if there are Philippine elements, Philippine victims, Philippine payment accounts, or PAGCOR-related claims.
A clear timeline, complete screenshots, URLs, payment details, and a notarized complaint-affidavit make your report much stronger.