Customer fraud protection products for banks and credit unions

Credit union expands business service offerings with positive pay solutions that empower members with greater control over accounts

According to Experian’s 2018 Global Fraud and Identity Report, 65 percent of businesses have experienced the same or more fraudulent activity compared to the previous year, making it critical for financial institutions to empower their corporate account holders with greater control to combat fraud and the financial risks associated with it.

By arming business members with actionable treasury management solutions that are supported by interactive fraud prevention tools, financial institutions can empower business members to proactively prevent check fraud and dispute unauthorized ACH debits in a timely manner, before the funds ever leave their account.

According to First Orion’s 2018 Scam Call Trends and Projections Report, there was a dramatic increase in cell phone scam calls over the past year, rising from a mere 3.7 to 29.2 percent. The report goes on to suggest that scam calls will reach 44.6 percent of all U.S. mobile traffic by early 2019.

Financial institutions still relying on outdated, manual methods of communicating suspicious activity to the consumer – like phone calls and recorded messages – will be at a disadvantage if spam calls continue to increase. With an uptick in spam calls, banks and credit unions should be going the extra mile to deliver a positive customer and member experience. Here are some thoughts to consider regarding how the phone scammers may impact your financial institution:

According to the 2018 AFP Payments Fraud Survey, instances of fraud reached an all-time high last year – 78 percent of organizations were victims of fraudulent activity. The study also revealed that checks were the most common source of fraud, as 74 percent of survey respondents experienced check fraud. As these numbers grow, many financial institutions, like West Jordan, Utah-based Mountain America Credit Union, have recognized the need for more effective security measures to protect their members from fraud.

Overcoming an Industry-Wide Challenge:

When an unauthorized transaction occurs, businesses are required by regulation to report fraudulent activity within two days compared to the 60-day timeframe allotted to consumers. Such a limited timeframe to report and dispute fraud oftentimes makes it harder for businesses to recover stolen funds. In an effort to attract more business and commercial members, Mountain America Credit Union needed a way to help these members quickly detect and respond to suspicious transactions, specifically checks and ACH debits, and protect their hard-earned funds from fraudsters.

Download ACH Alert’s whitepaper, “Transform Treasury Management with Actionable Fraud Prevention Solutions.”

PwC reports that over the past year, instances of fraud within the financial sector have increased by 130 percent. As fraudsters continue to evolve and seek new ways to steal financial information and funds, account holders want more than a basic banking platform that grants visibility over transactions – they need a detection and prevention tool that enlists their participation in combatting fraud. Banks and credit unions should consider implementing a modern, actionable online banking system that empowers account holders to take action in fighting unauthorized activity.

By directly involving account holders in the fight against unauthorized activity, financial institutions can transform their treasury management systems into a driving force for success. Here are some things to consider when your financial institution is selecting a fraud prevention solution:

Check out ACH Alert’s latest whitepaper, “Transform Treasury Management with Actionable Fraud Prevention Solutions.”

Javelin’s 2018 Identity Fraud Study revealed that a record number of U.S. consumers fell victim to fraud last year - 16.7 million to be exact – with the amount stolen totaling $16.8 billion. After a fraud attempt, account holders may question their financial institution’s ability to keep their funds safe, so banks and credit unions, especially those seeking rapid growth, must take action to combat fraud swiftly and effectively or risk losing account holders to competitors.