Scam Watch Pilipinas unveils Whole-of-Organization anti-scam framework at BPI Consumer Protection Summit

• IN PHOTO: Scam Watch Pilipinas co-founder Jocel De Guzman during the BPI Consumer Protection Summit.

Scam Watch Pilipinas unveiled its latest white paper, “Beyond Awareness: The Whole-of-Organization Approach to Scam Prevention,” during the BPI Consumer Protection Summit, calling on organizations to transform anti-scam efforts from isolated initiatives into enterprise-wide business programs.

Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-founder Jocel De Guzman introduced the framework, which argues that the success of the Whole-of-Society Approach depends on organizations first adopting a Whole-of-Organization Approach.

The framework builds on the Scam Watch Pilipinas Quad Model, which has brought together government agencies, financial institutions, technology companies, civil society organizations, and volunteers in a coordinated anti-scam movement.

The anti-scam quad model has helped institutionalize the 1326 National Anti-Scam Hotline, expand community-based Volunteer Watcher programs nationwide, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and contribute to a sustained decline in reported scam SMS based on industry data.

“Many organizations equate scam prevention with a checklist of activities. A press release, social media content, a webinar, a seminar, or a one-day event may generate attention, but they are often one-off initiatives with little measurable impact. Effective scam prevention requires a structured, organization-wide program embedded in leadership, business strategy, operations, culture, and accountability,” De Guzman said.

The white paper outlines how scam prevention should become a shared responsibility across the organization, involving the Office of the CEO, Strategy, Information Security, Legal, Human Resources, Customer Experience, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Sales, and other business units. It also emphasizes integrating anti-scam initiatives into business objectives, KRAs, KPIs, and corporate culture rather than treating them as stand-alone campaigns.

According to De Guzman, organizations that rely solely on awareness campaigns often fail to influence employee behavior or institutional decision-making.

“Scam prevention is no longer just a cybersecurity issue. It is a business issue, a customer trust issue, and a governance issue. Every department has a role to play because every department can either reduce risk or unintentionally create opportunities for scammers,” he said.