Fraudulent Gmail emails offering fake housing vouchers in Puerto Rico
Housing agencies in Puerto Rico warn of email scam promising vouchers and relocation in public residential buildings.
Alert issued over email fraud promising housing assistance
The Department of Housing and the Public Housing Administration (AVP) of Puerto Rico issued a joint alert following the circulation of fraudulent emails sent from Gmail accounts, according to telemundopr.com. The messages request personal information in exchange for alleged housing vouchers or relocation alternatives in public residential buildings.
The warning came after several people presented themselves at the agencies' offices believing they had received official summons to manage housing assistance. In reality, the senders have no connection to either of the two institutions.
How to identify legitimate communications
Officials clarified that the official email addresses of the Department of Housing end in @vivienda.pr.gov, whilst those of the AVP end in @avp.pr.gov. Any message from a @gmail.com account does not correspond to the institutional channels of these agencies.
Luis Augusto Martínez Román, Secretary of the Department of Housing, noted that people seeking safe housing are being targeted by scams. "We have received citizens who arrive at our offices convinced they have an appointment or an opportunity to receive assistance, when they have actually been contacted by people outside our agencies," Martínez Román said. The secretary urged the public to verify the authenticity of any communication before sharing personal data.
Juan A. Rosario Hernández, administrator of the AVP, emphasised that the admission and placement processes in public residential buildings follow formal procedures established by the agency. "No electronic communication, by itself, guarantees the assignment of a voucher or a unit of public housing," Rosario Hernández warned.
What to do if you receive a suspicious message
Authorities recommended that the public not access links from unknown senders or download attachments from unverified sources. They also urged people to refrain from sharing Social Security numbers, identity documents or banking information with unauthorised persons.
Officials also warned that even if a message appears to come from an official address, it is important to confirm its authenticity if any warning signs appear.
Those wishing to verify the legitimacy of a summons or receive guidance can contact the AVP at (787) 759-9407 or write to [email protected]. Both agencies have official and verified social media accounts where they publish information about their programmes and services.
Source: Google News PR — Crime