As customers increasingly seek greater security and control over their finances, EastWest is strengthening customer protection through Banking Made Safer, a suite of enhanced security features and fraud prevention measures designed to help safeguard accounts and savings while keeping banking easy and accessible.
As part of this initiative, EastWest has introduced EasyLock, a self-service security feature available through the EasyWay and EasyBiz apps, where customers can secure a chosen portion of their balance, preventing those funds from being used for digital transactions while keeping the rest available for everyday banking.
The protected amount can be adjusted or unlocked anytime, giving customers added peace of mind that the savings they do not need for regular transactions can remain shielded from unauthorized transfers and account compromise.
EastWest has also rolled out additional safeguards designed to strengthen account security and fraud prevention beyond day-to-day app controls. These include Emergency Shield, which allows customers to immediately suspend digital account access and outgoing transactions if they suspect account compromise; Transaction Pause Period, which temporarily restricts digital transactions after key account information is changed; and Temporary Holding of Funds, which allows funds linked to disputed transactions to be temporarily held while verification is underway.
“Financial scams continue to become more sophisticated, and for many customers, the concern is not only convenience but the safety of their hard-earned savings,” said EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo. “Through Banking Made Safer, we are giving customers practical tools such as EasyLock that help them take a more active role in protecting their funds. At the same time, we remain focused on making banking easier by providing security features that are simple to use and readily accessible when customers need them most.”
Together, these measures support EastWest’s implementation of Republic Act No. 12010, otherwise known as the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), and the applicable Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulations, while reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to making banking safer for customers who want stronger protection over their hard-earned savings.
With Banking Made Safer and EasyLock, EastWest is giving customers greater control over how they protect their money—helping them bank with more confidence as digital threats continue to evolve. Customers are encouraged to activate EasyLock for the portion of their funds that they do not need for regular digital transactions, whether through EasyWay for individual accounts or EasyBiz for corporate accounts, subject to their company’s approval workflow.
