GCash backs stronger merchant verification amid QR scam threats

GCash expressed support for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ efforts to strengthen merchant verification and ecosystem safeguards amid the growing use of QR-based digital transactions in the country. 

The company said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy against the misuse of digital payment channels for fraud, illegal activity, and financial abuse, while backing stronger enforcement and broader safeguards to protect consumers and maintain trust in interoperable payment systems. 

GCash said its fraud surveillance systems continue to detect and report suspicious transaction patterns to the BSP and the Anti-Money Laundering Council, including thousands of suspected illegal online merchants and suspicious accounts targeting GCash users. 

According to Miguel Geronilla, scammers are increasingly adapting traditional fraud tactics into digital channels through fake QR codes, impersonation schemes, fraudulent payment screenshots, and deceptive payment pages. 

“Scammers are exploiting trust, urgency, impersonation, and social engineering tactics — not just technology,” Geronilla said. 

GCash emphasized that as digital payments become more interconnected, fraud risks are also becoming more widespread across the ecosystem, involving merchant onboarding channels, aggregators, and external payment acceptance platforms. 

Since 2025, the company said it has blocked more than 7,000 merchants allegedly linked to illegal online gambling, suspicious transaction activity, and possible abuse of digital payment channels. 

The company also reminded users to verify merchant identities and avoid scanning QR codes from suspicious or unknown sources, warning against fake websites and misleading payment pages that imitate official GCash platforms.