OCBC Bank has rolled out an in-app calling feature in its digital banking applications to enhance customer convenience and bolster fraud protection.

Gradual Implementation for Retail Customers

Retail banking customers will gradually gain access to the in-app calling function on the OCBC app starting from November 2025. This follows a successful launch for corporate users of the OCBC Business app in June 2025.

These calls will not incur International Direct Dialling charges, making them advantageous for customers who frequently travel abroad.

Urgent Situations

The bank expects the in-app calling feature to be particularly useful for urgent matters such as suspected credit card fraud, account security concerns, or other time-sensitive banking issues. Data shows that retail and business banking customers collectively make over 8,000 calls per month while abroad, indicating a significant demand for secure, convenient communication channels.

Enhanced Security Against Fraud

In-app calling reduces the reliance on traditional security verification methods like SMS One-Time Passwords and security questions, which are increasingly vulnerable to social engineering attacks and phishing attempts. The Singapore banking industry has acknowledged the growing limitations of these conventional methods as personal information becomes more accessible online.

OCBC’s in-app calls operate within the secure environment of the OCBC and OCBC Business apps. Customers must authenticate through biometrics or access credentials, supplemented by digital or hard token verification. This two-factor authentication ensures that both inbound and outbound calls are conducted securely. Security questions are used only as an additional safeguard for high-risk transactions requested during the in-app call.

Outbound Calls from Contact Centres

The bank plans to implement outbound in-app calling from its retail and business banking contact centres, including anti-fraud teams. OCBC aims to begin these calls to business banking customers by the first half of 2026. Operating natively within the app, these calls are harder for scammers to replicate, allowing customers to distinguish between genuine bank communications and fraudulent calls.

Data from the first half of 2025 showed that impersonation scams in Singapore reached 1,762 cases, nearly triple the number reported in the same period the previous year. In-app calling offers a secure, authenticated channel for communication, reducing the risk of fraud and restoring customer trust.