Is the platform or the bank liable when I get scammed?
Last updated: 2026-07-11 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
It depends on what went wrong. If you willingly sent money to a scammer through a normal, authorized transaction, the bank or e-wallet is usually not automatically liable for your loss — but it must still handle your dispute fairly and meet its fraud-prevention and redress duties under RA 11765 (2022). If the transaction was unauthorized (your account was hacked, your card used without you, or the provider's own security failed), the provider's responsibility is much stronger and you should dispute it as unauthorized. For marketplaces, platform buyer-protection programs (like Shopee's and Lazada's) are a practical remedy for undelivered or misrepresented goods, though those are program terms rather than a blanket legal guarantee. Report fast, dispute in writing, and escalate to the BSP (financial) or DTI (consumer) if unresolved.
Primary sources
Frequently asked
I authorized the transfer myself — can the bank still be liable?
Usually the bank is not automatically liable for a payment you willingly authorized to a scammer. However, RA 11765 still requires it to handle your complaint fairly and meet its fraud-prevention and redress duties, so file a written dispute and escalate to the BSP if it stonewalls you.
What if the transaction was unauthorized?
That is a stronger claim. If your account was accessed without permission or the provider's security failed, dispute it as an unauthorized transaction — the provider's responsibility to investigate and remediate is greater. See the phishing/OTP and unauthorized-charges answers for the specifics.
Does a marketplace's buyer protection make it liable?
Platform buyer-protection programs (Shopee, Lazada) are a practical, often fast remedy for non-delivery or misrepresented goods, but they operate under the platform's own program terms rather than as an unconditional legal guarantee. Use them first, then escalate to the DTI under the Consumer Act if needed.
Take action
Got a similar problem?
File a complaint and we'll pre-fill BSP, SEC, DTI, and small-claims letters for you.
What to do after an online scam — the first-hour playbook, where to report (PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, NBI, DOJ Office of Cybercrime), how to spot and report investment/Ponzi scams to the SEC, phishing and OTP theft, online-shopping fraud (undelivered, fake, or misrepresented goods), romance and job scams, and the legal basis under estafa (Revised Penal Code Art. 315), RA 8484, RA 10175, RA 8792, RA 7394, and RA 8799.