Custom Deployment: A Fraud Detection Solution

Fraud prevention is a critical concern for businesses in today’s digital landscape. With the rise of online transactions, companies are constantly seeking effective ways to protect themselves from fraudulent activities.

Two primary approaches to address this challenge are the use of all-in-one fraud software platforms like those offered by CyberSource, Kount, or Sift, and the customized fraud detection services provided by companies like IPS.

Let’s explore the key differences between these two approaches (or how they can work together) and weigh the pros and cons of each to help your business make informed decisions about your fraud prevention strategies.

All-In-One Fraud Platforms

All-in-one fraud platforms are comprehensive solutions that offer a wide range of tools and features for fraud detection and prevention.

Pros:

Integrated Solutions

All-in-one platforms provide a single interface that combines multiple fraud prevention tools such as machine learning algorithms, rule-based systems, and device fingerprinting, to name a few. This integration can simplify management and reduces the need for a more hands-on and crafted first-party fraud solution.

Scalability

These platforms are often designed to scale with the growth of your business. They can handle high transaction volumes and adapt to changing fraud patterns.

Data and Insights

All-in-one solutions typically offer robust reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing businesses to gain valuable insights into their fraud prevention efforts.

Ease of Implementation

Many of these platforms come with pre-built integrations and easy-to-use interfaces, making them accessible to businesses without extensive technical expertise.

Cons:

Cost

All-in-one platforms may have higher upfront costs, including licensing fees and ongoing maintenance expenses. Smaller businesses may find them cost-prohibitive.

Limited Customization

While these platforms offer a range of features, they may not address your highly specific or unique fraud detection and prevention needs. There’s a reason why most enterprise level merchants go with in-house custom-built programs.

Overhead

Managing and configuring various features can be complex, potentially requiring dedicated staff with expertise to make the most of the platform (IPS can help with this, more on that later).

Customized Fraud Detection by IPS

Customized fraud detection and consulting services, such as those offered by IPS, focus on tailoring fraud prevention strategies to meet the unique needs of each client.

Pros:

Tailored Solutions

Fraud consultants like IPS work closely with businesses to design and implement fraud detection and prevention strategies that align with their specific requirements, addressing unique challenges effectively.

Flexibility

Customized solutions can adapt rapidly to changing fraud patterns and emerging threats, ensuring businesses stay one step ahead of fraudsters. Seasoned consultants like IPS can help flex in changing tactics, but also in growing staff when applicable.

Cost-Efficiency

Smaller businesses may find customized services more cost-effective since they can select only the features they need, avoiding unnecessary expenses. Often times, outsourcing is vastly cheaper than hiring your own team to build or use an all-in-one fraud package. 

Cons:

Initial Setup Time

Customized solutions may take longer to implement, as they involve in-depth analysis and tailored strategies. We want to make sure you get the best possible outcomes, and that can take time.

Resource Intensive

Businesses must commit resources, including time and personnel, to collaborate with consultants and develop a bespoke fraud detection and prevention system.

Scalability Challenges

Although IPS has stood up teams of 20+ analysts in extremely short periods of time in the past, we’ll always want to make sure you’re getting the highest quality resources. Sometimes that means long recruiting durations.

Choosing between an all-in-one fraud platform and customized fraud detection services like those provided by IPS depends on various factors, including the size and complexity of your business, budget constraints, and specific fraud prevention needs.

All-in-one platforms offer convenience and scalability but may not be able to flex to fit your specific needs as a merchant. On the other hand, customized solutions provide tailored strategies and flexibility but may require more investment in terms of time and resources.

Ultimately, the decision should be based on a careful assessment of your organization’s unique requirements and priorities. We’d like to stress that it’s worth considering hybrid approaches that combine the strengths of both options to create a robust fraud detection and prevention strategy that safeguards your business while accommodating its growth and evolving challenges. At IPS, we’ve had success in both formats, and we’d love to talk to you about potential partnerships.

In the next part of this series, Strengthening Your Fraud Defense: The IPS Advantage, we’ll highlight some of the benefits involved in leveraging the deep knowledge and experience of a company like IPS. Because we’ve worked with clients big and small and for a long time, we’ve learned a lot about creating, running and evolving a fraud program. You’ll see that with our background you can save time, effort and huge amounts of fraud losses, chargebacks and financial penalties.