GCash users raise an uproar over lost funds; e-wallet says it fixes bugs

Several GCash e-wallet customers on Saturday raised an outcry on social media over thousands of pesos lost in what appeared to be unauthorized transactions.

Comedian Kapuso Pokwang was among the GCash users who complained about unauthorized transactions. In a post on Instagram, she revealed that nearly 30 unregistered mobile phone numbers had taken her money.

“Ano nangyare sa registered SIM policy ngayon (What happened to the registered SIM policy)?” Pokwang asked, referring to Republic Act 11934, or the SIM Card Registration Act, enacted to reduce cybercrime.

Digital advocacy group Digital Pinoys on Saturday afternoon called on GCash to immediately return the lost funds to its customers.

“This problem has been around for a long time, and it seems that, despite previous complaints, it has remained unresolved. This is alarming for consumers who trust e-wallet providers to protect their funds. Funds lost due to unauthorized transactions must be returned immediately,” said the participant. of the Digital Pinoys national campaign by Ronald Gustilo.

He also called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology to investigate the matter and impose fines on Gcash if found guilty of negligence.

“E-wallet platforms do not provide the same security as banks. Consumers should not keep huge sums of money in their e-wallet accounts because the funds are not insured, unlike those in banks,” Gustilo said.

“Errors” in the process

For its part, mobile wallet GCash on Saturday said it was addressing process glitches that affected “several” users, even as screenshots of alleged unauthorized transactions on the e-wallet platform went viral on social media.

“Several Gcash users have been affected by errors in the system’s current reconciliation process. This incident was isolated to a few users and we assure our customers that their accounts are safe,” GCash said in a statement.

“We have identified the affected accounts and contacted them. Wallet adjustments are ongoing,” it added.

GMA News Online reached out to the Philippine National Police’s Cyber ​​Crime Unit on the matter but did not receive a response as of press time. — VDV, GMA Integrated News