Beware the ‘financial monsters’

As Filipinos embrace the Halloween season, financial technology company Tala is warning against “real-life financial monsters” — scammers, impersonators and manipulators preying on digital users.

According to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), 32 percent of Filipinos fell victim to digital fraud in the past year. Tala released practical advice to help users identify red flags and avoid becoming part of this statistic.

Common warning signs include suspicious links and emails, which often come from fake or misspelled addresses and contain requests for login details or urgent actions. Tala also reminds the public that spelling and grammatical errors are a telltale sign of fraudulent messages, urging victims to report such attempts to authorities like the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Fraudsters also exploit emotion and urgency — a tactic known as social engineering — to pressure victims into immediate decisions. “Certified businesses do not use force, especially when it involves sensitive information or money,” the advisory reads. Tala advises the public to verify requests only through official websites or contact numbers.

The company also cautioned against “too good to be true” offers or suspiciously low fees, which often mask hidden charges and scams.

As a global financial infrastructure company, Tala said it remains committed to ethical lending and consumer protection. It cited the case of Ginalyn, a borrower who was harassed by an unregistered lender that imposed unfair interest rates and used intimidation tactics.

“What was a simple application turned into an unfavorable experience because of how rogue lending companies prey on innocent people,” Tala said, reminding borrowers that legitimate lenders are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“The biggest mystery to me was how they got my aunt’s contact number. They threatened her that if I didn’t pay, she’ll have to pay for it. And as the due date approached, they started saying they’ll send someone to me. I was traumatized,” Ginalyn recalled.

Tala said it uses AI and machine learning systems to detect suspicious activity and collaborates with the NBI in pursuing fraud cases. “With Tala, the interest fee is low. It is also very safe and friendly,” Ginalyn said. “If your due date is coming up, Tala will encourage you to get in touch with them in case you can’t afford to pay now.”