A family is taking legal action after a student from one university allegedly impersonated their son, a genuine first-year medical student at another, and successfully obtained an official university ID in the victim’s name.
The incident was uncovered on November 27 when the family of Joseph Reinz P. Villamor discovered that an acquaintance, referred to as “Kendall,” possessed a student ID card containing Villamor’s personal details including his student number and his mother’s name as the emergency contact. Only the photograph and signature on the card belonged to the impersonator.
What makes the case more alarming is that the ID was issued six months ago during the enrollment period. This explains why “Kendall” had been posting Facebook stories inside the university campus for months, creating the illusion he was a student there. In reality, he is a 4th-year Computer Technology student currently doing an OJT at a local government unit with an ironic twist as he stole the identity of a son whose parents are also employed at the same LGU.
The alleged impersonator initially apologized to the family and claimed the ID was merely a fake edit. However, an official verification at the university’s IT department confirmed the school had mistakenly issued the physical ID. Staff members recalled the incident, admitting they found it suspicious because the person claiming to be Joseph Villamor looked nothing like him, yet the ID was still released.
The Villamor family is now pursuing charges for identity theft, misrepresentation, and fraudulent use of personal information, warning the public to remain vigilant with their personal data.
