GCash has warned the public against the misuse of fake or illegal payment accounts, particularly those exploited by illegal gambling operators and other illicit entities.

The fintech leader reaffirmed its Zero Tolerance policy against unlawful activity and emphasized that GCash has no links to illegal gambling operators. Any site or group claiming otherwise is misrepresenting the platform or illegally using it.

“Illegal online gambling undermines financial integrity and public welfare. GCash has no links to illegal gambling operators, anyone connecting our brand to these sites is either misrepresenting us or illegally using our platform,” said Oscar Enrico A. Reyes, Jr., President and CEO of G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI). “We are working hand-in-hand with regulators and law enforcement to shut down illicit activity and protect our users.”

Protecting consumers

GCash provided guidance on spotting fake or illegal accounts, including QR scans sent via random links, “too-good-to-be-true” offers such as gaming credits or quick-cash schemes, codes without official merchant logos, and transactions showing personal names instead of verified merchants.

The company urged users to only scan QR codes from trusted merchants, double-check payment details, and report suspicious activity through the GCash Help Center, hotline 2882, or the BSP Consumer Protection channels. Customers may also contact the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group via hotline (02) 8414-1560 / 0998-598-8116 or email messagecenter.acg@pnp.gov.ph.

Zero tolerance in action

As part of its commitment, GCash immediately blocks and suspends accounts linked to illegal transactions, prohibits misuse of payment QR codes for unlawful payments, and collaborates with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and law enforcement to detect, report, and shut down illicit activities.

Since 2023, the company has taken down over 57,000 phishing sites and reported 916 illegal online gaming sites to authorities.

“GCash is committed to ensuring that Filipinos can transact with confidence and peace of mind. We will continue to strengthen our security systems and work closely with regulators and law enforcement to keep our platform safe,” GCash said.

These efforts reflect the company’s ongoing push to build a secure digital financial ecosystem and protect consumers from scams and illicit operators.