Financial Services
Learn four best practices for improving consumer engagement while furthering your financial inclusion efforts. Read more!
“As an industry, fintech is known for creating compelling and personalized online journeys. But that experience can suffer if the fraud-prevention routines are perceived as burdensome by consumers,” said Kathleen Peters, Chief Innovation Officer for Experian’s Decision Analytics business, in a recent Q&A article with Finovate. With the proliferation of the digital world, managing digital identity and “getting it right” is crucial. However, as much as it is an opportunity, leveraging consumer identity data can also create a stumbling block for some organizations. Peters cited Experian’s annual Global Identity and Fraud Report, specifically, the consumer concern around online security and the need for industry players to find the right balance between security and a frictionless experience. “In short, we need the right fraud-prevention treatment for the right transaction; it is not a one-size-fits-all exercise,” Peters said. The interview also covered the importance of knowing a customer’s identity for compliance reasons and business use cases, dispelling the myth that banks’ efforts around personalization are considered “creepy” by consumers, and the best ways for banks and fintechs to build trust among their consumers. According to Experian’s Global Identity and Fraud Report, consumers are willing to give entities they trust more data, particularly if they feel they are receiving value. And it’s undeniable that data is at the heart of personalization and building better relationships. “It comes down to identifying and understanding consumers and their needs. The best way to do that is with a lot of data,” Peters said. To read the full article, visit Finovate’s website. Finovate: Experian CIO on Digital Identity, Personalization and Building Trust with Consumer Data Learn more about Experian Identity
With the right technology, it’s possible to implement a layered fraud solution that provides protection and enhances the consumer journey.
To drive growth and customer retention in today’s competitive landscape, financial services must optimize their customer acquistion strategies.
Experian's 2022 Global Identity and Fraud Report explores consumer expectations and preferences and effective risk mitigation strategies.
In the first six months of 2021, there was $590 million in ransomware-related activity, which exceeds the value of $416 million reported for the entirety of 2020 according to the S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Constant economic pressure coupled with the ever-increasing volume of data online have created an environment that’s ripe for attacks, leaving businesses and consumers vulnerable to attacks and theft. What are ransomware attacks? Ransomware is a subset of malicious software, AKA malware, that either threatens to publish or block access to data or a computer system. It often takes the form of a cyberattack where criminals take over an organization’s computer network. Once they’ve assumed control, the hackers demand a ransom to restore access to the illicitly encrypted data. Additionally, ransomware attacks and data breaches are now becoming more closely linked, with sensitive data including employees’ personal information, HR records, and more being filtered out and distributed during or after the attack. In fact, Experian has found that 7 of 10 data breaches involve ransomware. The negative impact of ransomware attacks According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the average ransom demand in 2021 was $5.3 million, a 518% increase from the 2020 average. Experian’s latest Data Breach Response Guide found that businesses were hit with ransomware attacks every 11 seconds in 2021. These attacks also take up to 20% longer to begin breach notifications, leaving businesses even more vulnerable. In addition to the monetary loss and the time spent responding to and recovering from the attack, businesses also stand to suffer reputational damage, because consumer sentiment is that companies are responsible for protecting data. Having a plan in place makes a sizeable impact though, with 90% of consumers being more forgiving of companies that had a response plan in place prior to a breach. How to protect against ransomware attacks Experian’s 2022 Future of Fraud Forecast predicts that ransomware will be a significant fraud threat for companies as fraudsters will look for a sizeable ransom to cede control and potentially steal data from the hacked company. Preparing for the possibility of an attack includes training your staff to spot the signs of a phishing attempt, having a response plan in place, and leveraging partner solutions. To learn more about how Experian helps businesses protect against the fallout of a ransomware attack, visit us, and be sure to read about our other Future of Fraud predictions about cryptocurrency and Buy Now, Pay Later fraud. Request a call Future of Fraud Forecast
Learn how you can use credit attributes to identify qualified prospects, set initial limits, manage credit lines and limit credit losses.
As card issuers go head-to-head in the battle to reach and connect with new consumers, they must implement more inclusive lending strategies.
Cryptocurrency scams are on the rise as digital currencies gain popularity. The decentralized nature of these currencies makes them equally attractive to both legitimate consumers and fraudsters. Businesses may find themselves in a difficult position as they seek to prevent cryptocurrency-related fraud and help protect consumers. What are cryptocurrency scams? Cryptocurrencies are virtual currencies often based on and secured by blockchain technology. However, this does not always translate into security for the individual consumer. Many individuals fall victim to either cryptocurrency investment scams or cryptocurrency theft. Cryptocurrencies are not yet well-regulated or backed by a sovereign entity, leaving consumers open to threats when purchasing funds. The deregulated nature of the currencies makes it easy for scammers to build what appear to be legitimate cryptocurrency projects before disappearing, similar to pump-and-dump stock schemes. Additionally, scammers will perpetrate romance or other relationship-based scams and convince the victim to send them funds in cryptocurrency form. Cryptocurrency theft follows a few traditional fraud patterns: The fraudster may use phishing or social engineering to steal credentials. A crime ring might leverage malware or keystroke loggers to do the same thing. A scammer might present a “reward” to an unsuspecting consumer and require access to their wallet in order to “gift” the reward. Scammers consistently find new ways to trick unsuspecting consumers, including a recent scam relying on QR codes to steal funds converted to cryptocurrency via an ATM. Other common scams utilize imposter websites, fake mobile apps, bad tweets, or scamming emails to steal information and funds. The impact of scams on consumers According to the FTC, investment cryptocurrency scam reports have skyrocketed, with nearly 7,000 people reporting losses totaling more than $80 million from October 2020 to March 2021, with a media loss of $1,900. In 2020 the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker Risk Report ranked cryptocurrency scams as the seventh riskiest. In 2021, they jumped to the second riskiest scam. In Michigan alone 31 cryptocurrency scams were reported from January 2020 to March 2022, with reported loses from $350 all the way to $41,000. The impact of scams on businesses While the true impact of cryptocurrency scams on businesses is hard to measure, it’s easy to identify several areas for concern. First is the opportunity for the theft of personally identifiable information (PII) during a fraudulent cryptocurrency transaction. Once fraudsters have stolen funds, they may also funnel them through a legitimate business and turn them into a regulated form of currency for easy of use. Businesses with legitimate cryptocurrency interactions may also suffer from spoofed apps or websites, causing reputational damage when consumers are taken in by a scam. Preventing the fallout from scams As companies debate accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment, it’s important to consider that funds may be stolen or accessed by a malicious party. One way to protect your organization is to have a strong device identification strategy that can help ensure the entity accessing an account and the funds within is the true owner. By layering in this protection with other fraud defenses, businesses can be better prepared as consumer payment preferences shift. Additionally, financial institutions and other organizations should keep consumers informed about how to protect their own data and signs of scams. To learn more about how Experian is helping businesses develop and maintain effective fraud and identity solutions, visit us or request a call. And keep an eye out for additional in-depth explorations of our Future of Fraud Forecast. Request a call Future of Fraud Forecast
Experian recently announced Experian Identity and published an advertorial in American Banker outlining the integrated approach to identity that recognizes the full breadth of the company’s authoritative data solutions that help businesses better connect with their consumers in more personalized, meaningful and secure ways. The efforts address the rapidly changing definition and landscape of identity and take on the importance and needs for identity which span across the entire customer journey. From marketing to a specific consumer’s needs, to facilitating a friction-right customer experience, to protecting personal information. As such, there’s a gap for single-partner providers to help businesses navigate this change, while also putting the needs of the consumer first. “Identity data sets are constantly growing with inputs from new interactions. Many future sources of data have yet to be even conceived or developed,” said Kathleen Peters, Chief Innovation Officer, Experian Decision Analytics. “Staying ahead of the identity market curve is vital, and it requires building and continually evolving an enterprise-scale identity solution that interconnects with your own unique data and systems to create attribute-rich profiles of your customers that work across any identity application. That’s Experian Identity.” Experian Identity underscores the need businesses have to respond to increasing identity needs with interconnected, scalable technology, products and services that optimize the consumer experience. While the integrated approach announcement is new, the capability is not. Experian has been trusted for decades to secure individuals’ identity around the most important decisions in their lives – think purchasing a car or home, being identified at the doctor’s office, and more. As such, consumers remain at the center of every action. Experian Identity offers identity resolution, verification, authentication and protection, and fraud management solutions that include first- and third-party fraud, account takeover, credit card verification, identity resolution and restoration, risk-based authentication, synthetic identity protection and more. Additionally, we’ve included a special blog post introducing Experian’s identity capabilities from Kathleen Peters on the Experian Global News Blog and additional coverage. Stay tuned for more updates. Experian Global News Blog - Making Identities Personal: Experian Helps Businesses Build Consumer Trust American Banker – Making Identities Personal: Building Trust and Differentiating Your Brand Experian White Paper - Making Identities Personal For more information about Experian Identity, visit www.experian.com/identity-solutions.
Experian’s latest Global Insights Report found that more than half of consumers have increased their online spending in the last three months, and 50% say it will increase in the next three months. Life online is here to stay, and consumer expectations have shifted, giving businesses and opportunity to sink or swim when building trust and gaining loyalty. This spring, Experian surveyed 6,000 consumers and 2,000 businesses across all industries to learn more about how, why, and where consumers are interacting with businesses online. Our research found that: Experience is top of mind, with 81% of consumers saying that a positive online experience makes them think more highly of a brand Digital payment options are on the rise with 62% of consumers using mobile wallets and 57% considering buy now, pay later as a replacement for their credit card Security is still a big factor, but 73% of consumers say the onus is on businesses to protect them online Download the report to get all the latest insights into consumer sentiment and how recent changes are impacting business priorities and investments. Download the report
When extending firm offers of credit, lenders have relied on direct mail to reach their intended audiences. But what if there are more ways to deliver a credit offer?
What goals should you set to make financial inclusion a reality? How can success be quantified? This checklist can help you become more inclusive.
“I saw an opportunity to create change instead of asking for it.” Day 2 was charged up with new technology; new ideas; and new, clearer visions of where we can drive change across our industries. Jeff Softley, President, Direct to Consumer, Experian Consumer Services, illustrated how the consumer is at the center of Experian’s business with countless statistics and how our consumer advocacy drives our focus, growth and mission. Wil Lewis, Global Chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Hiq Lee, President of Business Information Services; and Alex Lintner, Group President, Consumer Information Services, engaged in a panel discussion centered on reimagining inclusion. Keynote: Allyson Felix Allyson Felix, five-time Olympian and most decorated Track & Field athlete, kicked off the day with an inspiring keynote touching on her athletic career, taking challenges head-on and using our platforms to make an impact. Felix, who is racing in the first race of her final season this weekend, is a tireless advocate, life-long learner, who seeks to empower others. “We can all start where we are,” she said. “Small things turn into big things.” Day 2 session highlights From the breakout sessions, the theme of disruption was evident. We dove into how prescreen and prequalification have evolved, a demand that many must adapt to deliver in the post-pandemic world. Financial inclusion was a topic covered across the board, as were the strategies to be enacted to bolster these financial inclusion drivers. One such area addressed was how the rapidly growing buy now, pay later industry advances financial access and inclusion efforts. And speaking of evolution, retention must evolve as well — we heard how retention, recapture and risk strategies are transforming, particularly in the mortgage servicing space. Rapid Model Development and Deployment - Feedback from businesses reflects organizations’ desires for flexible deployment options, flexible integration with existing tech stacks, open source technology and the ability to incorporate multiple data providers. Today’s solutions address that feedback as well as solve for the most rampant market challenges in new, innovative ways. Strategy optimization with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning - Over 50% of financial institutions surveyed are using AI/ML in at least one department. Challenges include data management, operation, evolving the analytics program. ML/AI starts with proper data management. For optimization, templatizing ML frameworks is a necessity. ID Verification, Authentication and Fraud - There were $56B in identity fraud losses in 2020, $13B of which were traditional identity fraud losses and $43B related to identity fraud scams. Leveraging strategies is necessary to maintain the critical balance required for identity verification and fraud – mitigating losses and risk exposure, drive optimal customer experience, maintain regulatory compliance. Maximizing Customer Value - The monthly data refresh is a thing of the past. When reimagining account review for risk and marketing purposes, remaining agile is key with increased data freshness for operational efficiency. Keynote: Ashton Kutcher The energy, insights and ideas have been reverberating throughout the venue for the past 48 hours, which set the stage for Ashton Kutcher’s closing keynote. The Chicago Bears fan talked about his career, how hard work wasn’t an option when he was growing up and how part of his assessment process for potential investments – determining whether they create efficiencies in the market – he sometimes thinks of a long-standing, personal benchmark – the air nailer. He talked about his philanthropy efforts, the mission behind his company Thorn, and the ability for people to impact change and achieve "a sense of agency" over the outcome of the future. “That’s the human spirit. That’s the spark that exists – that people understand that you can sit in despair, or you can do something,” he said. It has been an amazing two days – we can’t wait for Vision 2023!
“Disruption has caused enormous amounts of innovation,” said Jennifer Schulz, CEO of Experian, North America. “We must continue to be the disruptors in our industry which takes effort, data, technology, bright minds and vision for what the future will be.” Schulz kicked off the 39th Vision conference with a future-focused keynote delivered to a crowd of more than 400 attendees. Alex Lintner, Group President, Experian Consumer Information Services, talked about the next phase of great, highlighting the digital transformation that has taken place in the generations of the past and the disruption and innovation happening today and in the future. Keynote speaker: Dr. Mohamed A. El-Erian Dr. Mohamed A. El-Erian, renowned economist and author, President of Queens’ College, Cambridge, Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz, Chair of President Obama’s Global Development Council and Former CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer of PIMCO, spoke about the Fed, inflation, negative interest rates and the labor market, as well as the importance of inclusion. El-Erian, who said he reads the Financial Times religiously, acknowledged that we will make mistakes on the journey as we work to be even more inclusive. To navigate what’s ahead, he said we will need resilience, optionality and agility. “It’s important to connect with information, acknowledge the insecurity, in a language people understand, in order to connect,” he said. Session highlights – day 1 The conference hall was buzzing with conversations, discussions and thought leadership. Buy Now Pay Later A large audience was in attendance for a session that introduced Experian’s Buy Now Pay Later Bureau™ and explored how it’s the first and only solution of its kind — serving consumers, BNPL providers, financial institutions and regulators. Identity Identity is constantly evolving, and while biometrics and authentication may have become ubiquitous, there is much activity around the concepts of eIDs, identity wallets and identity networks. Experian is making identities personal and helping businesses to recognize, manage and connect customer identities in new ways using data, analytics and technology. Marketing In today’s hypercompetitive world, businesses need to engage the freshest data and increase velocity when it comes to time to market. An average of 120 days won’t cut it. Ascend Marketing speeds time to market and helps achieve higher ROI. Regulatory Landscape With so much happening at Capitol Hill, a panel of experts from DC discussed a number of topics and proposals (and their impacts), including the defense for risk-based pricing, the impact of suppressing negative data, and trending topics like Buy Now Pay Later and data portability. All the while, the tech showcase had a constant flow of attendees with demos ranging from data and decisioning to financial inclusion and technology. This is just the beginning. And as Schulz said, “There’s more to do.” More insights from Vision to come. Follow @ExperianVision to see more of the action.