by Unionbank Human Resources Group
In 2025, UnionBank faced a surge in credit card fraud driven by increasingly sophisticated social engineering tactics. Fraudsters exploited legitimate-looking SMS sender IDs to trick clients into entering sensitive information on phishing sites, leading to unauthorized transactions. This posed a serious threat to client trust and operational integrity. UnionBank needed to respond with a solution that was not only effective but also aligned with its digital-first, innovation-driven culture, and aligned with Aboitiz’s Great Transformation.
Beni, a fraud strategy specialist, designed and deployed a set of authentication fraud rules that proactively intercepted suspicious transactions before OTPs could even be sent. By leveraging data analytics to identify recurring fraud patterns, she built a rules
based filter that blocked fraudulent attempts at the earliest stage. Her approach reflected the techglomerate mindset—using technology to drive smarter, faster, and more adaptive solutions. She also continuously monitored dispute data to ensure the Bank’s fraud prevention strategy evolved in step with emerging threats.
Since June 2025, Beni’s solution has blocked 791 fraudulent attempts, preventing potential losses of ₱81 million. The Bank also recorded a 60% reduction in OTP authenticated fraud losses, validating the effectiveness of her preventive strategy. This not only strengthened UnionBank’s fraud protection framework but also demonstrated how the Great Transformation’s emphasis on AI, data, and innovation can directly enhance customer experience and operational resilience.
