GCash Blocks 4,900+ Fake Merchants in QR Code Scams
Fraudsters are using fake QR codes embedded in posters, emails, receipts, and messages to redirect GCash users to malicious payment pages. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas flagged quishing as a growing threat in the digital payments sector.
Key Takeaway
Over 8,100 fake merchants blocked in 2025 show QR payment scams targeting Filipino users are accelerating.
GCash Chief Information Security Officer Miguel Geronilla said the company has zero tolerance for scammers who evolve alongside digital payments and actively blocks and reports them to protect users.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas flagged quishing as a growing scam threat in the digital payments sector. Fraudsters use fake QR codes embedded in posters, emails, receipts, or messages to redirect users to malicious payment pages or steal sensitive information.
GCash lists three major warning signs for users. Suspicious website URLs that imitate the official platform like gcash-payments.com or gcsh.payment.com instead of the legitimate payments.gcash.com. Merchant identity mismatches showing random or incomplete names like XJ82q or Merchant_123. Inconsistent or unfamiliar payment pages despite displaying GCash or QRPh logos.
The company escalated fraudulent sites for takedown and blocked wallets linked to fraudulent activities. Geronilla said protecting users sits at the core of the platform and GCash will continue strengthening safeguards while working hand-in-hand with the government to keep the ecosystem safe.
Users can report scams through the GCash Help Center at help.gcash.com by chatting with Gigi and selecting the report a scam option. The GCash hotline 2882 also accepts reports. The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group operates a hotline at 8414-1560 and email at acg@pnp.gov.ph. The CICC hotline 1326 and email report@cicc.gov.ph accept fraud reports alongside the mobile number 0991-481-4225.
