Scenario
Argos Financial Services (AFS), part of Sainsbury’s Bank, offers a range of retail financial services. AFS faced growing fraud prevention challenges with its retail store card — a credit-like card usable within Argos and Sainsbury’s stores — particularly in two key areas:
- Impersonation fraud at the point of application as fraudsters used stolen personal information to apply for store cards
- Account takeover (ATO) fraud during mobile app registration as fraudsters shifted tactics in response to strengthened contact center controls
Existing fraud tools relied heavily on user-input data and bureau checks which were increasingly vulnerable to manipulation. AFS needed a more robust solution that could provide persistent identifiers and resist circumvention.
Strategy
To address these challenges, AFS implemented TruValidate Device Risk, alongside Email Risk and Mobile Risk. This decision was driven by:
- The need for unique device fingerprinting to detect and block repeat fraud attempts
- A desire for real-time evidence updates to immediately block suspicious devices
- Seamless integration with existing TransUnion products already in use, such as Decision Strategy, Call Report, Call Validate and Affordability Call
The implementation process, while complex due to AFS’s bespoke systems, was completed in approximately six months. The integration involved connecting Device Risk data across four to five internal systems to enhance fraud screening capabilities.
Key features that stood out for AFS included:
- User-friendly, rule-building interface, enabling broader team adoption
- Real-time evidence placement, allowing immediate action on fraudulent devices
- Customizable evidence dropdowns, improving operational efficiency
Results
Using the TruValidate solution, including Device Risk, AFS realized:
- A notable reduction in impersonation fraud, specifically at the application stage
- Improved detection of fraud rings, due to consistent device identifiers and behavioral patterns
- Enhanced account takeover prevention, through identifying suspicious devices used to register for their mobile app and blocking them real time
It also allowed AFS to maintain a friction-right customer experience, avoiding the need for overt security measures that could impact user satisfaction.
Learn more about how device intelligence can reduce fraud risk and enable more safe and seamless customer experiences.
"I would recommend TruValidate Device Risk. We've had good successes with it, and I can see through the updates I'm getting there’s always improvement going on in the background to get better device data and add extra information. As a company already using TransUnion products, the seamless integration of Device Risk made it so easy for us to get up and running."
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