The problem
A sharp rise in account takeover (ATO) fraud
In 2024, one of Entersekt’s customers, a large U.S. bank, started seeing a sharp rise in account takeover (ATO) fraud. Bad actors were accessing customer accounts to initiate unauthorized peer‑to‑peer (P2P) payments and external transfers.
Despite ongoing education, fraudsters were still persuading the bank’s customers to share login credentials or one‑time passwords (OTPs), driving financial losses and eroding trust in its digital channels. The impact was felt across the organization, from rising fraud losses and pressure on customer service teams to growing reputational risk.
After a formal RFP process, the bank chose Entersekt for its strong security, low friction, and seamless integration with the bank’s digital banking platform.
“We waited until we were starting to see fraud losses and had to explain those. So don’t do that. Start early and be proactive."
Transformation
A real-time approach to ATO fraud prevention
The bank looked for a solution that could detect and prevent fraud in real time while keeping the experience as seamless as possible for legitimate users. Entersekt delivered a modern, layered approach to authentication and transaction security that included:
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Strong device identity and trust-based authentication that enabled frictionless logins from trusted devices and users.
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Context-aware transaction authentication that challenged high‑risk actions—such as external transfers—using a simple push notification with transaction details, enabling customers to make informed decisions.
- Adaptive, risk‑based controls that applied biometrics or step‑up verification only when risk levels warranted it.
Because Entersekt was already pre‑integrated within the bank’s existing digital banking platform provider’s ecosystem, the solution could be implemented as a turnkey deployment and move quickly from design to live testing.
“We were able to see the solution in our test environment at kick-off, which was pretty remarkable,” said one of the bank’s SVPs.
Outcomes
Results that matter
Reduced ATO fraud and stronger protection
By introducing real‑time, risk‑based authentication at key points in the digital journey, the bank could offer stronger protection for customer accounts during high‑risk activity.
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90%+ reduction in ATO fraud across digital channels
Preserving a smooth digital experience
The bank achieved these security gains without sacrificing ease of use for legitimate customers. Customers are only prompted for additional verification when risk is elevated, enabling the bank to intervene precisely when necessary while keeping day‑to‑day banking simple and convenient.
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98% of logins remain frictionless, supporting a smooth and familiar digital experience
Faster time to value
Close collaboration between Entersekt, the bank, and the bank’s digital banking platform provider enabled a rapid deployment. Demonstrating live functionality at the start of the project helped align stakeholders quickly and shorten the path to go‑live.
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The Entersekt solution was running in the bank’s test environment within days of project kick‑off
Empowered, more efficient internal teams
With Entersekt managing device trust and transaction challenges in real time, the bank’s internal teams could focus more on higher‑value work:
- Fewer ATO incidents to investigate and remediate
- Less time spent handling emotionally charged fraud cases in customer service
- Clearer insight into high‑risk scenarios, supporting more confident decision‑making and fraud strategy
Long-term value
By combining the flexibility of the bank’s existing digital banking platform with Entersekt’s authentication technology, rising ATO threats could be responded to quickly while sustaining a positive customer experience. Today, the bank:
- Protects customers more effectively from ATO fraud
- Maintains a largely frictionless digital banking journey
- Reinforces trust in its digital channels through proactive, at‑the‑moment engagement
- Builds a scalable, modern approach to fraud prevention that supports long‑term growth
“Consider the customer experience angle. This can improve customer relationships [and] build trust if it’s done right. And by doing that, you’re making a customer happy and preventing something bad from happening at the same time,” said the SVP.
