IMSI CATCHERS, AI SCAMS: BPI tags latest threats to digital banking security

Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has warned of emerging high-tech scams that exploit both hardware and artificial intelligence, revealing that criminal groups are now using international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) catchers to target digital banking customers in the country.

- By KEISHA TA-ASAN

In a recent cybersecurity briefing, BPI enterprise information security officer Jon Paz said these methods have only started emerging this year, marking a dangerous escalation in the sophistication of digital scams targeting bank clients.

“We're seeing new types of fraud that didn’t exist before 2025,” Paz said. “They use technology that can imitate our systems and even fool the user’s device into thinking a signal or app is legitimate.”