BSP partners with BAP and BMAP to promote cyber hygiene

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has partnered with the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) and the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP) in rolling out the “Check-Protect-Report” (CPR) information drive to foster cyber hygiene among Filipinos.

“Check” is about being careful when sharing information as legitimate banks and financial institutions (FIs) will only ask for personal data when they are contacted by their clients. “Protect” means safeguarding and not sharing personal data to senders of random text messages or emails, while “Report” enjoins financial consumers to urgently inform their banks or FIs about suspicious transactions.

The communication campaign aims to equip Filipino financial consumers with the information needed to protect themselves against online scams.

“Amid the rise in digital transactions, the CPR campaign encapsulates what we encourage the public to cultivate as a habit. It is expected to enhance financial consumer welfare, further strengthen confidence in the use of electronic payments, and therefore promote growth,” said BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla.

“Bolstering public trust in the payment system is supportive of the BSP’s goals under the Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap, which aims to digitalize half of the volume of retail payments and onboard 70 percent of Filipino adults to the formal financial system by 2023,” added the Governor.

The information drive also underscores that cyber security is a shared responsibility among financial regulators, industry participants, and financial consumers.

“Our strong collaboration with the BSP and BMAP complements the BAP’s #Cybersafe campaign by providing a platform to keep the banking public abreast and empowered with the knowledge of the ever-evolving schemes of cybercriminals,” said BAP President Antonio C. Moncupa.

“As proponents of safe and efficient banking practices, the banking industry continuously works closely with the regulators, legislators and law enforcement agencies to effectively curtail fraud and the proliferation of cybercrimes. Central to this goal is the protection of the banking public’s hard-earned funds which can only be achieved with the joint effort by the financial institutions, government agencies and the customers themselves,” he added.

BMAP said it is pleased to partner with the BSP and BAP to #FightFraudTogether toward raising consumer awareness and vigilance against cybercrime.

“Cyber criminals have evolved and reinvented scams that are becoming more complex and harder to detect. Further, a social media savvy population makes the country more vulnerable to cyberattacks and fraud incidents. With this, we call on the public to always be vigilant, practice due diligence, and to not be complacent when it comes to cybersecurity,” according to BMAP President Mai Gacilo Sangalang.