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In a trust-driven environment, digital identity is a mission-critical enabler for online transactions, user services and fraud prevention. As the scope and application of digital identities change to suit new needs and form the heart of our digital economy, it’s vital to maintain security and trust in digital identities. Bradley Greer, Vice President of Data Solutions & Product Marketing at netnumber explains the key components of a robust and reliable digital identity program.

Every time a customer goes online, they knowingly or unknowingly provide some level of personal identity information (PII). Depending on the nature of the online interaction, the PII exposed can range from the user’s name, address, birthdate and ID of their device to credit card numbers and even sometimes their children’s names. Online actions like clicking an ad, watching a video or replying to a post are often tracked as well.

During the conversation, Greer explained that, as more consumer transactions move online, the need to protect customers’ PII grows. This has given rise to a multitude of digital identity programs to help online providers comply with the regulations and safeguard customers’ identities. Mobile operators play a central role in this effort; every online connection contains subscriber and network-based data needed to onboard the user, verify their identity and mitigate the risk of fraud each time they return to the site.

Distinguished by a wholly new industry term, NIaaS, this new netnumber capability provides a holistic, accessible platform for both delivering mission-critical phone number intelligence data and discussing the topic within the broader industry landscape.”

Greer outlined three key technologies that are vital for a robust and reliable digital identity program.

1. Know Your Customer (KYC) Matching

Most organizations capture some online personal identity information to help service providers match customers with appropriate products or services. Among the data captured is information that can be used to verify the customer’s identity and match it to their subscription services, device(s) and carrier. KYC matching enables the mobile operator to match provided identity information against subscriber data to ensure the user on the other end of the connection is, in fact, the subscriber.

2. SIM Swap Detection

Mobile network operators also collect data regarding the mobile device’s SIM card. This information helps them determine if the service connection has recently switched devices and, if so, when was the last switch made? This is known as SIM Swap Detection, and it can provide an important clue as to the digital identity of the device and user. If a SIM swap is detected in parallel to other suspicious digital behaviors, it may be a sign that the user’s identity has been compromised by a fraudster and the phone number and identity have been part of an account takeover attack.

3. Number Verification

Every online connection also provides rich metadata that can help determine whether the person attempting to connect online is really the subscriber associated with the device. Number verification silently confirms that the device’s registered user is actively on the mobile operator’s network without creating additional friction like having the user wait to receive and enter a one-time passcode.

These three technologies are part of the industry’s quickly evolving digital identity service offerings. When Priezkalns asked about the major challenges involved in creating an effective digital identity program, Greer mentioned the patchwork nature of most services. The challenge for organizations is that implementing the full complement of services needed to adequately protect them and their subscribers typically involves multiple vendors with real-time identity data. So, interoperability and management of a robust digital identity program are major concerns.

A Unified Digital Identity Platform

As Greer mentioned during this webinar, netnumber recently added KYC Matching, SIM Swap Detection and Number Verification to its expanding portfolio of digital identity services. These new services are currently connected with many of the major mobile network operators across Europe and the Americas. They join the company’s existing NIaaS (Number Intelligence as a Service)offerings:

  • Carrier ID enables phone number lookup with global number portability operator data.
  • Number View captures changes in operators and line types.
  • Number Check provides validation and reachability confidence.
  • Number Risk helps flag potential scam behavior.
  • Number Watch monitors for changes in service providers..

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