DICT raises concern about risks of interconnected e-wallets with untrusted apps
By Sonny Daanoy
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Monday, Oct. 23 expressed concern regarding the potential risks related to the interconnection of e-wallets with untrusted applications.

"The increasing number of reports nowadays that we need to be cautious about involves the app-based interconnection of e-wallets, such as G-cash, PayMaya, and other e-wallets, with untrusted apps," DICT Undersecretary for Connectivity, Cybersecurity and Upskilling Jeffrey Ian C. Dy told reporters at the sidelines of the Commitment Signing between DICT and top various social media platforms to ensure a cyber-secure digital landscape in the country.
"Many apps and websites, when you log in, ask you to pay for something, and then they prompt you to enter your e-wallet, like G-cash or PayMaya. What you may not realize is that they have already saved your information, and they auto-debit or auto-reduce your funds without your knowledge," he added.

In response to this type of scam, Dy mentioned that the country's ICT department is considering requesting e-wallet companies to implement a "nuclear bomb-like" safeguard mechanism that can remove all payments and reset the system.
This approach would empower the public to choose trusted applications where to activate the "auto-payment" feature.
Scam vs legit message
Dy explained that if the sender "nag padala sayo, na pina ci-click ka, mag dalawang isip, mag tatlong isip ka (they send you something to click on, you think twice, you think thrice)."
The undersecretary emphasized that reputable banks send links infrequently, and most of them use one-time passwords (OTPs) for user authentication.
In addition, he noted that "if they rush you to make a decision, it's a scam."