The Puerto Rico Department of Housing and the Public Housing Administration alerted residents to fraudulent emails, sent from Gmail accounts, that request personal information in exchange for supposed housing vouchers or relocation alternatives in public housing residences. The warning came after several people went to the agencies after receiving email citations, believing they had been officially summoned to handle housing aid matters.
The agencies’ heads clarified that the Department of Housing’s official email addresses end in @vivienda.pr.gov, while the Public Housing Administration’s end in @avp.pr.gov; messages from @gmail.com accounts do not correspond to these agencies’ institutional addresses. Housing Secretary Luis Augusto Martínez Román said people seeking a chance at safe housing could fall victim to scams and urged residents to verify the authenticity of communications and protect their personal information.
Public Housing Administrator Juan A. Rosario Hernández stressed that no electronic communication by itself guarantees a voucher or a public housing unit assignment, since formal admission and placement processes must be followed. Officials advised residents not to open suspicious links, avoid downloading attachments from unknown senders, and never share Social Security numbers, identity documents or banking information with unauthorized people.
To verify a citation, the public can call the AVP at (787) 759-9407 or write to info@avp.pr.gov.