@estrategiasquefuncionan
Banking Emergency Number 1212 –
A new hotline to protect people
As financial inclusion continues to expand across Chile and digitalization becomes a reality for millions, financial crimes and fraud have emerged as a growing concern and a key challenge for both authorities and the financial system. Banks—and particularly the Chilean Banking Association—took on the responsibility of strengthening public protection through actions aimed at directly supporting those who may be affected.
The complexity lay in designing and communicating a concrete, visible, and coordinated solution that demonstrated the commitment of the entire banking sector—both public and private—to safeguarding people. The challenge was to position banking security as a public concern, delivering a message of practical value and high communicational impact in a context where distrust and misinformation remain the main enablers of digital fraud.
The communications strategy was designed as a 360-degree, multi-channel initiative, built around a unifying narrative: in an emergency, every minute counts.
On this basis, the Chilean Banking Association (ABIF) established a sustained media presence, diversified its spokespeople, and activated a high-impact digital campaign, reinforcing its commitment to prevention.
Under the campaign concept “SOSpecha” (a play on SOS and suspicion), the banking sector had been promoting a culture of active vigilance against fraud. As a major milestone within this ongoing effort, the launch of the 1212 emergency number was introduced—a free, nationwide hotline that instantly connects individuals with their bank’s emergency channel in cases of fraud, theft, or suspicious activity.
This initiative became the centerpiece of the strategy: a simple and concrete solution in a context of increasingly sophisticated crime, reinforcing the banking sector’s social role, its capacity for coordinated action, and the idea that prevention is a shared responsibility.
The launch of 1212 was positioned as a multi-platform milestone, combining high-level communications, mass reach, and citizen-focused content.
On October 23, 2025, the Chilean Banking Association (ABIF) activated a phased communications rollout. The starting point was a coordinated staging that brought together an institutional announcement, high-profile spokespeople, and a strong presence in the public agenda.
Industry leaders, including Chairman José Manuel Mena and CEO Luis Opazo, set the tone through interviews across television, radio, and print media, targeting authorities, opinion leaders, and the general public, thereby reinforcing the systemic and preventive nature of the initiative.
In parallel, the strategy expanded its reach through a digital campaign with a more approachable and engaging tone, featuring journalist Emilio Sutherland (“Tío Emilio”), a widely recognized figure for his work on crime-related issues. Built on the premise that if something feels suspicious, it probably is, the campaign deployed videos, short-form content, and educational assets that translated the complexity of fraud into everyday language—driving emotional resonance and encouraging practical financial self-protection behaviors.
This effort marked a new phase within the banking sector’s broader fraud prevention strategy, building on the foundation established by #SOSpecha. It reinforces the notion that effectively tackling fraud requires coordinated industry action, continuous education, and active citizen engagement.
