Simple habits and built-in security controls can help customers stay safer while banking online
A quick fund transfer before work. A card payment during lunch. Bills settled from a phone at the end of the day. Digital banking has become so routine that many transactions now happen almost automatically.
This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, EastWest is reminding customers to make one more habit part of that routine: taking a few seconds to pause, check, and protect before completing a digital transaction.
Staying safe online does not always require complicated steps. Checking transaction details before confirming a payment, keeping passwords and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) private, avoiding suspicious links, reviewing account activity, and acting quickly when something seems unusual can all help reduce exposure to fraud.
EastWest complements these everyday habits with security features and controls available to its customers.
Through EasyWay, EastWest’s digital banking platform, customers have access to security measures such as biometric login and authentication, OTP verification, encryption, and additional authentication for transactions. The platform also allows customers to manage selected card settings and transaction notifications, helping them keep a closer eye on their banking activity.
For principal EastWest credit cardholders, EasyWay’s Lock/Unlock function also allows customers to temporarily stop new purchases and recurring charges on their linked card. If a card is lost or stolen, customers should still contact EastWest Customer Service immediately so it can be permanently blocked.
Customers who want to put an additional layer of protection around their savings can also use EasyLock, one of EastWest’s Banking Made Safer features. Available through EasyWay, EasyLock allows customers to set aside a portion of their balance that cannot be used for online or digital transactions until unlocked.
The Bank has also introduced other safeguards under its Banking Made Safer program in line with the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and applicable Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulations.
These include Emergency Shield, which allows customers to suspend digital banking access and outgoing transactions if they suspect their account has been compromised, and a Transaction Pause Period, which automatically places a 24-hour pause on digital transactions following certain sensitive account changes, including changes to a registered mobile number, email address, or device.
EastWest also implements Temporary Holding of Funds, which may place the amount involved in a disputed or potentially unauthorized electronic transaction on hold while verification is underway.
The growing use of digital banking reflects broader shifts in how Filipinos manage their finances. BSP data shows that digital payments accounted for 52.8% of retail payment transactions in the Philippines in 2023, up from 42.1% in 2022 and just 1% a decade earlier. As more transactions move online, cybersecurity and customer awareness become increasingly important.
“Digital banking should make everyday financial tasks easier, but convenience and security must go hand in hand,” said EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo. “As more customers choose to bank digitally, we continue to invest in safeguards that help protect them while keeping banking simple and accessible. By giving customers greater visibility and control over their accounts, we are making security a more natural part of the banking experience.”
EastWest reminds customers that passwords, OTPs, card details, CVVs, and other sensitive banking information should never be shared, including with people claiming to represent the Bank. Customers are also encouraged to avoid unfamiliar links, transact only through trusted channels, keep their devices secure and updated, and regularly check their accounts for transactions they do not recognize.
With banking increasingly happening wherever customers are, cybersecurity is no longer something to think about only when a problem occurs. This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, EastWest encourages customers to make safer digital banking second nature: pause before you transact, check the details, and use the security controls available to protect what matters.