EastWest is reminding customers to pause, check transaction details, and use available security controls before completing digital transactions as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The bank says these habits, combined with safeguards in its EasyWay platform and Banking Made Safer program, can help customers reduce their exposure to fraud. Together, these habits and controls support EastWest digital banking security as more transactions move online.
The guidance covers routine activities such as fund transfers, card payments, and bill payments made through digital channels. EastWest advises customers to keep passwords and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) private, avoid suspicious links, review account activity regularly, and act quickly when something appears unusual.
Controls available through EasyWay
EasyWay, EastWest’s digital banking platform, includes biometric login and authentication, OTP verification, encryption, and additional authentication for transactions, according to the bank. Customers can also manage selected card settings and transaction notifications through the platform.
For principal EastWest credit cardholders, the platform’s Lock/Unlock function can temporarily stop new purchases and recurring charges on a linked card. EastWest says customers whose cards are lost or stolen should still contact Customer Service immediately so the card can be permanently blocked.
Customers can also use EasyLock, which is available through EasyWay as part of the bank’s Banking Made Safer features. It allows them to set aside part of their balance so it cannot be used for online or digital transactions until it is unlocked.
The bank has introduced other safeguards in line with the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and applicable Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulations. Emergency Shield allows customers to suspend digital banking access and outgoing transactions if they suspect an account has been compromised.
A Transaction Pause Period automatically places a 24-hour pause on digital transactions after certain sensitive account changes. These include 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.
Why the reminder matters
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data cited by EastWest shows that digital payments accounted for 52.8% of retail payment transactions in the Philippines in 2023. That was up from 42.1% in 2022 and 1% a decade earlier. The figures point to the expanding role of digital channels in everyday financial activity, while the bank says customer awareness remains important as more transactions move online.
“Digital banking should make everyday financial tasks easier, but convenience and security must go hand in hand,” EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo said. He added that the bank continues to invest in safeguards intended to protect customers while keeping banking simple and accessible, including tools that give them greater visibility and control over their accounts.
EastWest says customers should never share passwords, OTPs, card details, CVVs, or other sensitive banking information, including with people claiming to represent the bank. It also encourages customers to transact only through trusted channels, keep devices secure and updated, avoid unfamiliar links, and check regularly for unrecognized transactions.
These practices form the bank’s recommended approach to EastWest digital banking security: pause before transacting, check the details, and use the controls available through its digital banking services. EastWest digital banking security therefore combines customer awareness with features designed to help manage access, card use, and transaction activity.
