The AFASA (Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act) and the related Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) circular aim to strengthen security controls across digital banking to protect customers from fraud and unauthorized transactions. 

As part of these requirements, banks are implementing additional safeguards designed to enhance account security and reduce the risk of financial losses arising from fraudulent or unauthorized activities.

EasyBiz offers the following security features to help protect your business accounts:

1. Transaction Pause Period (TPP) – A 24-hour pause on digital banking access following sensitive account changes. This additional layer of protection helps prevent unauthorized access and gives customers time to verify account activity.
2. Emergency Shield - An emergency feature that helps you to immediately restrict digital banking access if you suspect your account has been compromised.
3. EasyLock – A feature that allows authorized users to lock a portion of available funds, making them unavailable for online and digital transactions until released.

These features are designed to strengthen account security, reduce fraud risks, and give businesses greater control over account access and funds.

TPP is a 24-hour pause on digital banking access following sensitive account changes. This additional layer of protection helps prevent unauthorized access and gives customers time to verify account activity.

The TPP will take effect when you update any of the following registered information through the EasyBiz web portal or mobile app:

• Mobile number
• Email address
• Registered device used to access your account

The TPP does not apply if your update is requested through a signed Customer Set-Up Form or a Letter of Instruction submitted to your Store of Account.

During the 24-hour TPP:

• Your active EasyBiz session will be automatically end once the change request is submitted
• You will not be able to log in to EasyBiz
• You will not be able to initiate or perform any financial transaction through EasyBiz until the TPP has ended

No. The TPP only applies to specific user-initiated changes submitted through EasyBiz. 

If the request is processed through your Store of Account, you may continue to access and transact using your existing credentials while the update is being processed. Updates are usually processed within three (3) to five (5) banking days.

Yes, you may request to cancel the information change by:

1. Submitting a signed Customer Set-Up Form or Letter of Instruction to your Store of Account
2. Completing the Bank’s verification process of the submitted signed form

If the cancellation request is approved, your previously registered information will remain unchanged.

Emergency Shield is a security feature that allows an EasyBiz user to immediately restrict access to the deposit account upon detecting a suspicious or fraudulent activity, account compromise, or unauthorized activity.

Once the Emergency Shield button is activated:

• Your EasyBiz access will be temporarily suspended, preventing you from logging in to the platform.
• Financial transactions involving the CASA accounts linked to EasyBiz will be blocked.
• Changes to user profile and related activities will be restricted to help prevent unauthorized access or misuse.

The following transactions and services will be restricted:

• Debit card transactions (POS and online purchases) linked to the affected account.
• Over-the-counter transactions through Philippine Domestic Dollar Transfer System (PDDTS), Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), and Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) international remittance services

The following transactions will continue to be processed:

• Clearing of issued checks
• Auto-debit arrangements and scheduled debits
• Other eligible over-the-counter transactions not covered by the suspension

Yes. As the hold applies to the deposit account affected, all authorized users linked to that account will be unable to access or transact through their EasyBiz while the Emergency Shield is active. 

To ensure business continuity, companies are encouraged to establish internal procedures for notifying authorized users whenever the Emergency Shield is activated.

Any enrolled EasyBiz user who suspects their account may have been compromised can activate Emergency Shield either before logging in, or while logged in to EasyBiz.

For security purposes, activation of the Emergency Shield requires multi-factor authentication.

When activating before login, you will need to provide your username and verify your identity using your registered mobile number or email address.

When activating after login, user must log in via web with their username, password and OTP or username, passcode and OTP/device authentication if via mobile app.

To request EasyBiz user profile reactivation, please submit the following to your Store of Account:

• Customer Set-Up Form or Letter of Instruction signed by your authorized signatories.
• A complete Account Recovery Checklist, for the Bank’s review.

Note: Depending on the results of the Bank's assessment of the Account Recovery Checklist, you may be required to reset your User ID or undergo re-registration. Your Store of Account will notify you on any additional steps that may be required.

If re-registration is necessary, you will receive an email and SMS once your new user profile is ready for activation.

EasyLock allows authorized users to lock a portion of available funds, making them unavailable for online and digital transactions until released.

EasyLock follows your company’s workflow.

The Maker can:

• Select the account to be locked or released/unlocked
• Specify the amount to be locked or placed on hold
• Set a release date
• Indicate the reason/s for the request 

The Approver can:

• Review pending requests found on the ‘Locked Amount’ tab in the ‘Account Overview’ section
• View details such as the source account, amount, lock date, and reason for the request

EasyLock follows your company's approval workflow specified during enrolment using the Customer Set-up Form. 

If your company has a Maker-Approver setup, users with a Maker profile can initiate EasyLock requests, while a user with an Approver profile must review and approve or reject it.

If no approval workflow has been established, any enrolled user may initiate an EasyLock request without requiring approval from another user.

You can view the following via the EasyBiz – Account Overview module:

• Active locks
• Lock history (released, rejected, cancelled)
• Total locked funds

Yes. In certain situations, the Bank may place a hold on a portion of your available deposit balance to comply with regulatory requirements, court or government orders, fraud investigations, account disputes, or other circumstances allowed under applicable laws and regulations.

The hold will remain in place until the required conditions have been met, or the Bank receives the necessary authorization to lift the hold.

If you suspect fraud or unauthorized activity on your account:

• Immediately activate Emergency Shield to suspend access to your user account.
• Contact Cash Management Support at (02) 8784-5612 or cashmanagement@eastwestbanker.com.
• Follow the account recovery process and submit the required documents for account reactivation.

These security features help:

• Prevent unauthorized transactions
• Reduce exposure to fraud and financial loss
• Strengthen control over account access and fund usage
• Enhance the security of your business banking transactions