Joshua Garcia, Saab Magalona share 'red flags,' tips vs e-wallet phishing scams

MANILA, Philippines — E-wallets are the way to go these days. They are a cool way to keep your finances secure, because you can shop for what you need, pay for it and have it delivered even when you do not have cash.

But, like any good thing, e-wallets have their share of dangers lurking around and unsuspecting “victims” may fall prey to the sinister plans of unscrupulous persons who have hatched e-wallet phishing scams.

To help address the problem, social media personalities — some celebrities, others content creators who share their daily dose of comical skits, life hacks and shopping "budols" — have joined hands with finance super app GCash. Their mission: To help spread awareness on e-wallet phishing scams, which are one of the most rampant cybercrimes in the country.

While most of them are in the business of entertaining audiences, whether in the big screen, on the boob tube, or in social media platforms, these celebrities and content creators are quick to lend a hand to help protect netizens’ hard-earned money from being stolen, and they do so through fun and educational videos.

First, these social media personalities identify the forms of e-wallet phishing scams going on so netizens will recognize them when these phishing attempts try to victimize them.

GCash endorser Joshua Garcia takes the helm in spreading awareness on social media, sharing how e-wallet phishing scams could come in the form of: 1) fake portals in non-PAGCOR-accredited gambling sites (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) and , which instruct you to click a link “to claim your free cashback for using GCash”; 2) fraudsters who claim to be from GCash saying your account is on hold; and 3) fake rewards.

Singer-podcaster Saab Magalona, financial guru Chinkee Tan and writer-entrepreneur Ayn Bernos share the red flags, which are warning signs that may indicate unhealthy relationships, but they also extend to everyday, seemingly-harmless messages that might end up as scams. Through witty yet educational skits and reminders, the three social media personalities identify these three red flags:

TV host Kaladkaren and filmmaker-podcaster Direk Tonet Jadaone revealed the kinds of "budol" and