by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 23, 2022 | Technology
GCash, the country’s no.1 mobile wallet app, reminded users to exercise more caution and vigilance as various online scams continue to proliferate.
Customers must watch out for “Account Takeover” wherein log-in details are compromised due to phishing scams. Scammers often use fake social media accounts and pretend to be GCash agents offering to solve their tickets or concerns with their GCash wallets, but the ultimate goal is to steal money from the victims.
Swindling is another modus that happens when a scammer tricks a user into buying a service or product and paying for it using GCash but will not deliver the item that has been paid for.
Another frequent cause of unauthorized charges is when GCash users allow other people, sometimes family members, access to their accounts. Oftentimes, a friend or family member would use their account to purchase or subscribe to a service without the owner’s knowledge.
In light of these scams, GCash has several reminders to help ensure users can protect their accounts from fraudsters:
To avoid account takeovers, users should never give out any information about their accounts like MPINs and One-time Pins (OTP) and only transact with official channels like the GCash Help Center (help.gcash.com) or the GCash hotline: 2882. It’s also important for users to make sure they verify transactions within the GCash app to avoid giving important information to fake websites.
To avoid being swindled online, be sure to research and read reseller reviews on the product you’re buying and who you’re buying it from.
To avoid unauthorized charges and risks, GCash is reminding users to never share account details with other people and to always check before they tap ads or when downloading from applications they do not trust.
GCash also urges its users to stop the practice of lending or selling their accounts to receive potentially illicit remittances from others. This is commonly called the “money mule” scam. Account owners that are caught doing this illegal act can be prosecuted under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2021.
Aside from warning its users against various scams, the leading e-wallet is also working in tandem with the National Bureau Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), and PNP – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) to uncover online scams and apprehend perpetrators. So far, there have been a total of 17 arrested and imprisoned fraudsters.
Likewise, GCash maintains top-notch security systems and has tightened its user verification and onboarding process. From January 2021 to March 2022, the mobile wallet app has blacklisted 14,752 wallets due to “Account Takeover”, 4,609 wallets for swindling, and 923,164 for identity fraud.
“At GCash, we remain relentless in our pursuit against online scamming. We will continue to work closely with various authorities to fight scammers and protect our legitimate users. We are constantly upgrading our security systems, as well as educating our customers so that they can use the GCash app without worries,” said Martha Sazon, GCash President and CEO.
With its #GCheckMuna campaign, GCash also empowers users to be more vigilant in the face of scams. The company also just recently introduced the beta version of Gigi the chatbot to immediately help customers with their various scamming concerns/incidents. GCash users may also visit the Help Center at help.gcash.com to report a phishing scam anytime. Fake pages will then be taken down within 24 hours.
In addition, users can activate biometrics login such as face recognition and digital fingerprint to ensure that only they can access their GCash account. To do this, they just need to enable biometrics on the settings of their device and proceed to their GCash profile. After tapping “Biometrics Log-in,” a six-digit authentication code will be sent to the device. After submitting the code, the face recognition and fingerprint can now be used to log in on the GCash app.
Committed to keeping its platform secure, GCash also implements the Customer Protect Program, which is designed to help detect and prevent fraudulent activities. It also ensures users will not be held liable for unauthorized transactions made on their accounts.
To know more, visit www.gcash.com. If you need assistance or would like to report a scam, visit help.gcash.com.
About GCash
GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Financial App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, customers can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,400k partner billers; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5M partner merchants and social sellers; cash-in and cash-out at 232k partner agent network; and get access to savings, credit, insurance and invest money all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.).
GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs impacting more than 60 million Filipinos in the country today.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 19, 2022 | Business
RHC Builders Warehouse, one of Luzon’s most prominent one-stop building and construction shops, opens its 6th and newest branch in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
The newest addition to the growing number of RHC Builders Warehouse in Luzon is also the home of some of the brands under The Racal Group of Companies. RHC Builders Warehouse aspires to serve not only its corporate clients but also the residents living in the vicinity.
Staying true to its tagline “You Build, We Provide,” RHC Builders Warehouse ensures that its one-stop-shop will provide its consumers with brands from both local and international markets.
For more information, visit RCH Builders’ Website at http://ourbuilderswarehouse.com.ph or its Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/rhcbuilderswarehouse.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 13, 2022 | Food & Beverage
The Manila Hotel’s stunning Red Jade restaurant, which specializes in authentic Chinese dishes, reopens on Friday, June 10, 2022. After a hiatus, Red Jade once again welcomes diners with not just crowd-pleasers and best-selling dishes, but an expanded menu selection.
Diners can expect to explore a menu of traditional Chinese dishes prepared with a modern flair along with nods to other regional cuisines of China. The historic Manila Hotel’s local and foreign clientele who have either dined in its main hall or booked its function rooms for private gatherings know that Red Jade is famed for food prepared with time-honored cooking techniques, premium ingredients, and uncompromising quality.
Diners have long celebrated the famed Red Jade’s Imperial Peking Duck, which takes hours to prepare and is expertly carved for patrons. Dim sum lovers can enjoy a wide selection of items, among them the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling “Har Gao,” Crispy-Fried Shrimp Stuffed with Cheese, and Pan-Fried Radish Cake “Bi Feng Tang” style. Other menu highlights include the Scallop and Duck Liver with Foie Gras Sauce appetizer, Honey-Roasted Pork Barbecue, Roasted Suckling Pig, Crispy Pork Belly (Lechon Macau), Stuffed Chicken with Eight Treasures in Lotus Leaf, Fresh Garoupa served steamed or braised, as well as male mud crabs and green lobsters, and many others. It’s even got its line-up of desserts like the Red Jade Signature Chilled Mango Pudding, Chocolate Sesame Ball, and Chilled Almond Beancurd with Lychee, to name a few.
One of its most popular offerings, however, has been the “Dim Sum All-You-Can” special. Available beginning Monday, June 13 along with Red Jade’s comeback, guests can enjoy delightful dim sums that are meticulously hand-crafted by our chefs to bring out amazing flavors and textures. Guests can order them to their heart’s content for only P1,288 nett per head. Soon, Red Jade will also launch the “Dim Sum All-You-Can” discounted vouchers for a limited time this June. Be sure to catch the promo! The “Dim Sum All-You-Can” offer is available at lunchtime from Monday to Friday only.
Red Jade is known to its loyal guests as one of the most beautifully decorated Chinese restaurants in the country. Guests who enter Red Jade feel like they have been transported to a different world, a place that evokes a sense of majesty. The restaurant is highlighted by the stunning décor of wall relief murals in jade. A luxurious ambiance permeates the space, drawn out by the dramatic lighting that creates a lovely contrast with the stylish wallpapers, detailed ceilings, and red tones all around — an elegant tribute to Chinese traditions and flavors right in the heart of Manila.
With its name and ambiance calling to mind luck and prosperity, Red Jade will surely be a venue for joyous celebrations among family, friends, colleagues, and associates over expertly prepared food, flawless service, and a refined atmosphere. Experience all of it again, starting this Friday, by booking a table now!
Red Jade, located on the ground floor of the historic Manila Hotel, is open daily from 11 am to 3 pm for lunch, and 6 pm to 10 pm for dinner. Reservations can be made by calling (632) 8527 0011, (632) 531 0011, or emailing re*************@************el.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 8, 2022 | Awards and Competitions
Binibining (Bb) Pilipinas 2022 candidate Chelsea Fernandez of Tacloban City took home the highly-coveted Ms. Ever Bilena 2022 award during the beauty tour held recently at the Ever Bilena headquarters in Caloocan City.
Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. (EBCI) president and CEO Dioceldo Sy welcomed the Bb. Pilipinas candidates and thanked them for being part of the beauty tour. After this brief welcome, EBCI chief operating officer Silliman Sy said: “The Ever Bilena award has always been a stepping stone towards a higher goal and higher achievement. So good luck to all the candidates who won today.”
Ever Bilena Beauty Tour 2022 corporate awardees with Ever Bilena executives. (L-R) Ms. Hyaloo Nyca Bernardo, Ms.Spotlight Roberta Tamondong, Ms. Hello Glow Karen Laurrie Mendoza, Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. (EBCI) Chief Operating Officer Silliman Sy, EBCI chief sales & marketing officer Denice Sy Munez, Ms. Ever Bilena Chelsea Fernandez, EBCI President and CEO Dioceldo Sy, Ms. Blackwater Herlene Nicole Budol, Ms.Careline Nicole Borromeo, and Ms. Ever Organics Diana Mackey.
Joining Fernandez were fellow candidates who also took home the sub-awards from the Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. (EBCI) brands: Herlene Nicole Budol from Angono, Rizal as Ms. Blackwater 2022, and Nicole Borromeo from Cebu City as Ms. Careline 2022. This year, the company also added new sub-awards for four new brands, namely Hello Glow, Ever Organics, Spotlight Cosmetics, and Hyaloo. Receiving these titles were Karen Laurrie Mendoza from Iloilo City who was named Ms. Hello Glow 2022, Diana Mackey from Nueva Ecija as Ms. Ever Organics 2022, Roberta Tamondong from San Pablo, Laguna as Ms. Spotlight 2022, and Nyca Bernardo of Guiguinto, Bulacan as Ms. Hyaloo 2022.
During the beauty tour, the Bb. Pilipinas candidates also had a photoshoot and media interview sessions. The tour culminated with a fun fashion show and corporate awards.
For four consecutive years, Ever Bilena has been the official sponsor of the prestigious Bb. Pilipinas pageant. Its advocacy of celebrating every beauty is in line with Bb Pilipinas’ platform of uplifting women and inspiring Filipinos. Thus, the cosmetics brand continues to give its full support to the Bb. Pilipinas Organization in its quest to discover and unveil the country’s future ambassadors and beauty queens.
Historically, Ms. Ever Bilena title holders have gone on to represent the country on international stages such as Catriona Gray in 2018, Vickie Rushton in 2019, and Samantha Bernardo in 2020.
For 39 years, Ever Bilena has catered to the Filipinas to help enhance their individual beauty with quality and affordable cosmetics. As a pioneer in the local beauty industry, Ever Bilena is ever-evolving as it lives by its new tagline, “for every beauty” to speak to a diverse and dynamic audience.
To know more about Ever Bilena, visit www.everbilena.com.ph, Facebook page (@everbilenacosmetics), and Instagram (@everbilenaofficial).
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 3, 2022 | Book Reviews
Huge House Hates by Stephanie Brother is one wild roller coaster ride! This story is so good that I could not put it down – started and was completed in just a few hours!
The Carlton brothers prank hard and love hard and Cora could give as good as she got! Even though Tobias is the youngest (I’m guessing 21) I couldn’t help but be attracted to him the most from the beginning. But each brother brought something unique and endearing to the story and relationship. In Cora’s shoes, I’d fall in love with them, too.
Personally, I am not a fan of pranks so that was a strike for me against them. Thankfully, there were less-impulsive brothers to sort or rein in the prankster (if only by a little bit). With the Carlton brothers, it is either you love them or hate them.
The pranks get out of hand and at times are downright cruel. Eventually, a truce gets called. When a bad penny from Cora’s past shows up at their doorstep and traumatized her, their dynamics change and a relationship starts to develop.
As always, Stephanie Brother’s books are designed to make us feel good … HEA guaranteed. You can get a copy of Huge House Hates by Stephanie Brother on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback versions.
The Carlton brothers prank hard and love hard and Cora could give as good as she got! Even though Tobias is the youngest (I’m guessing 21) I couldn’t help but be attracted to him the most from the beginning. But each brother brought something unique and endearing to the story and relationship. In Cora’s shoes, I’d fall in love with them, too.
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