OCBC Pushes Ahead on Anti-Fraud Strategy

Singapore-based OCBC is rolling out a secure in-app calling function across its retail and business banking platforms, aiming to protect customers amid a steep rise in impersonation scams and declining trust in traditional phone-based verification. OCBC is introducing in-app calls on its digital banking apps, offering customers, especially those travelling abroad, a safer and more convenient way to reach the bank’s contact centre without incurring International Direct Dialling charges, according to a media release issued on Monday. Retail customers will gain access progressively from November 2025, following the June 2025 rollout to corporate users on the OCBC Business app. The bank fields more than 8,000 calls from overseas customers every month, underscoring the relevance of the new capability. Reducing Reliance on Vulnerable SMS OTPs The industry-wide shift away from SMS One-Time Passwords continues as scammers increasingly exploit phishing techniques and social-engineering attacks. OCBC notes that personal data available online has also weakened the effectiveness of traditional security questions. By routing calls directly through its authenticated app environment—secured by biometrics or access credentials plus a digital or hard token, OCBC aims to offer a safer communication channel. Security questions will only be triggered for high-risk transactions. Upcoming Outbound In-App Calls The bank plans to extend the feature to outbound calls from the first half of 2026, enabling contact centre and anti-fraud teams to reach both retail and business customers through the authenticated app environment. In-app calls are significantly harder for scammers to mimic, helping users distinguish legitimate outreach from fraudulent calls – a growing issue in Singapore, where government-official impersonation scams surged to 1,762 cases in the first half of 2025, nearly tripling year-on-year. Strengthening of OCBC’s Digital-Security Framework The launch forms part of OCBC’s broader strategy to reinforce digital-banking trust and safety across retail, SME, and corporate segments. As scams evolve and fraudulent tactics become more sophisticated, banks in Singapore are accelerating the move away from vulnerable verification methods and strengthening secure, app-based ecosystems.