PGCash has rolled out its
‘DoubleSafe’ Face ID security feature to 100% of its fully verified users, as
of May 10, 2023, blocking fraudsters from taking over the accounts of its
users.
‘DoubleSafe’ uses an
industry-first face recognition technology to ensure that the person accessing
an account is the same as the one who registered in GCash. This means, even if
users inadvertently give out their mobile personal identification number (MPIN)
and one-time pin (OTP), their account still cannot be accessed from a new
device without scanning the owner’s face.
The feature also looks for the
user’s liveness to ensure photos can’t be used to bypass the security control.
“The face recognition feature
is built within the app and doesn’t require mobile phones with high-end
features. We made sure all our verified user base will have access to this
security feature as we notice the prevalence of phishing attempts outside the
app,” said Pebbles Sy, Chief Technology and Operations Officer of GCash.
“DoubleSafe will further protect our customer’s accounts and hard-earned
money.”
Aside from this security
feature, GCash has taken many actions to combat fraud.
“From January 2022 to April
2023, GCash has already blocked 3.1 million accounts that have been tagged as
fraudulent. We have also taken down 722 phishing sites and 38,000 malicious
social media posts and accounts from January 2022 to April 2023,” Sy explained.
Likewise, around the first
week of May alone, GCash has already barred 23,000 accounts that breached
parameters under the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act. This
means, the e-wallet monitored transactions in these accounts that are against
the AMLA.
GCash actively pursues
fraudsters in cooperation with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime
Group (PNP-ACG), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Cybercrime
Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).
GCash is consistently
strengthening its campaign against fraudulent activities with #GSafeTayo by
educating its users on how scams work and how they can be prevented. GCash will
NEVER send personal messages to address concerns or get personal information,
especially the MPIN and OTP. It reminds users to be wary of phishing schemes in
the form of fake websites and suspicious online games. Customers are urged to
only make transactions within the app.
To report scams and fraudulent
activities, visit the official GCash Help Center at help.gcash.com/hc/en-us and
message Gigi on the website, and type, “I want to report a scam.” Customers can
also contact the official GCash hotline 2882 for queries and other concerns.
