Digital fraud is no longer limited to technical breaches—it has evolved into a form of psychological manipulation that exploits human trust. As scams grow more sophisticated, financial institutions are under increasing pressure to deploy defenses that can learn, adapt, and respond in real time.
At the recent Risk.net–AWS conference held at Seda Hotel BGC in Manila, GCash outlined how it is addressing this challenge through a multilayered, AI-powered security strategy designed to protect millions of Filipinos. The event, themed “Driving AFASA Compliance Through Advanced Fraud & FinCrime Detection,” brought together industry leaders to discuss how to implement stronger safeguards under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), or Republic Act No. 12010.
GCash Chief Risk Officer Ingrid Beroña joined a panel discussion on real-time fraud detection and financial crime prevention under AFASA’s Circular 1213. Alongside representatives from PayMongo, GASA Philippines, and Maya, she highlighted emerging fraud trends and the role of AI in strengthening defenses.
Beroña noted that AI-generated phishing and smishing have become some of the most pressing threats. Fraudsters now use AI to craft highly convincing messages, often localized in different languages and dialects, making scams harder to detect. In a country like the Philippines—one of the world’s most active on social media—these threats are amplified through large-scale campaigns involving bots, fake pages, and impersonation of legitimate services.
To counter this, GCash has developed a security framework built on four adaptive pillars. These include behavioral biometrics that analyze user activity and network patterns, real-time transaction monitoring systems capable of processing massive volumes, and adaptive risk profiling that customizes security measures for each user. Supporting these layers is a cloud-based infrastructure that scales protection across millions of accounts while continuously learning from user behavior to refine its defenses.
Beyond technology, GCash has embedded AFASA compliance across its organization, working closely with fraud, cybersecurity, anti-money laundering, and legal teams to ensure a coordinated approach to risk management.
The conference also underscored the importance of ecosystem-wide collaboration in combating financial crime. Circular 1213 strengthens controls across key areas such as identity verification, authentication, fraud detection, and customer protection—recognizing that scams have become a regional issue requiring unified action.
For GCash, securing its large digital ecosystem means integrating protection at every stage—from onboarding to every transaction—while maintaining a seamless user experience. By combining scalable technology with intelligent risk detection, the company aims to stay ahead of evolving threats and continue supporting financial inclusion in a secure digital environment.
More information is available at www.gcash.com.
