Metrobank New Anti-Fraud Features to Strengthen Digital Banking Security, Officially Rolled Out

Metrobank introduces four new security features in the Metrobank App, giving customers added layers of protection against scams, unauthorized transactions, and costly transfer mistakes.

• Stronger Safeguards: Metrobank is strengthening digital banking security with four new features designed to give customers greater control over their accounts while making it more difficult for scammers to move money or complete unauthorized transactions.
• Multiple Layers: The Cooling-Off Period, Money Lock, Geolocation checks, and Payee Verification address different points of vulnerability, from unauthorized account changes and compromised access to suspicious transactions and accidental transfers.
• Growing Threat: The enhancements arrive as social engineering attacks remain a major concern, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reporting that phishing, account takeovers, identity theft, and related attacks accounted for 76% of reported cyber fraud losses in 2025.

Mobile banking has made everyday money management considerably easier, but that convenience has also created more opportunities for scammers to target unsuspecting users. With fraud tactics becoming increasingly sophisticated, Metrobank is adding new anti-fraud features to the Metrobank App that aim to put more security controls directly into customers' hands.

According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP, social engineering attacks, including phishing, account takeovers, and identity theft, accounted for 76% of reported cyber fraud losses in 2025. Against this backdrop, stronger security measures can provide additional barriers between scammers and customers' money.

Metrobank recently rolled out four security enhancements within its mobile banking app. Each addresses a different potential vulnerability, while collectively providing customers with multiple layers of protection.

1. Get a 24-Hour Safety Buffer with Cooling-Off Period

Changing important security settings can sometimes be a warning sign that someone other than the account owner is attempting to take control. Metrobank's new Cooling-Off Period is designed to provide customers with valuable time to react when this happens.

The bank now automatically activates a 24-hour Cooling-Off Period whenever critical security settings, such as a password or registered device, are changed. During this period, all transactions in the app are temporarily disabled for 24 hours.

This creates a safety buffer against scammers who may attempt to change account details and immediately move money afterward. Customers have time to notice suspicious activity, secure their accounts, and report unauthorized changes before funds can leave the account.

2. Lock Your Savings Instantly with Money Lock

One of the biggest concerns after a successful phishing attempt is how quickly a fraudster could transfer money from a compromised account. Money Lock gives Metrobank customers another way to protect funds directly from the app.

Users can instantly lock part or all of their available balance. Once Money Lock is activated, the protected funds cannot be transferred or used for transactions, including scheduled transactions, until the customer personally unlocks them.

The protection also remains in place even if someone gains access to the customer's card. Before activating Money Lock, however, users should make sure their remaining available balance is enough to cover upcoming or scheduled transactions to prevent unwanted disruptions.

3. Have Extra Protection Through Geolocation Checks

Not every security feature needs direct interaction from the user. Metrobank's Geolocation checks work behind the scenes to provide an additional layer of protection when customers transact through the app.

The system checks whether a transaction is being initiated from the customer's registered mobile device and considers the device's location. If something appears unusual or inconsistent, the system can flag potentially suspicious activity and help prevent an unauthorized transaction from pushing through.

For customers, this means another security mechanism is operating during normal app use without requiring an additional step for every transaction.

4. Double-Check Who You're Sending Money to with Payee Verification

Not every problematic transaction involves fraud. Sometimes, something as simple as entering the wrong account details can result in money being sent to an unintended recipient.

Metrobank's Payee Verification feature is designed to reduce that risk. Before a customer completes a transfer to another Metrobank account, the app displays a masked version of the recipient's registered account name.

Customers can use this information to double-check whether the account they entered actually belongs to the intended recipient before finalizing the transfer. It is a straightforward addition that can potentially prevent costly mistakes when sending money digitally.

Building a Safer Digital Banking Experience

Taken together, these four enhancements address security from several angles. The Cooling-Off Period provides time to respond to critical account changes, Money Lock helps protect funds from being moved, Geolocation checks can identify suspicious transaction behavior, and Payee Verification gives customers another opportunity to catch mistakes before sending money.

The new measures are part of Metrobank's continuing efforts to strengthen digital banking security while supporting broader government anti-scam initiatives under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act or AFASA and amendments under BSP Circular No. 1213.

Customers who want to start using the new security features should update to the latest version of the Metrobank App. As digital scams continue to evolve, combining stronger banking safeguards with customer awareness can provide a more robust defense against fraud.

For Metrobank customers, these features ultimately add something particularly valuable to mobile banking: more opportunities to detect, stop, or prevent a potentially costly transaction before it is too late.