Stop fraudsters from hijacking legitimate accounts with stolen credentials — before they can harvest data or drain value.
The Challenge
Account takeover (ATO) happens when fraudsters use stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to a user’s account. Once in, they can harvest personally identifiable information, steal credit card details, cash, and loyalty points, purchase goods and ship them to a different address, or access subscription services — like streaming platforms — at no cost.
Beyond the immediate loss, successful ATOs damage consumer trust and expose the business to chargebacks, support costs, and reputational harm. Credential-only defenses (passwords, security questions) are increasingly insufficient because those same credentials are the thing that’s already been stolen.
How Zumigo Solves It
Zumigo authenticates a consumer’s mobile identity using authoritative data — the consumer’s mobile phone number, account activity, and other PII and behavioral information on file — rather than relying on something the fraudster may already possess. Using real-time, definitive sources and a layered approach, Zumigo can:
- Instantly detect fraudulent use of a consumer’s identity for unauthorized account access across web, mobile, and contact center channels
- Flag recent SIM swap, port-out, or call-forwarding events that are classic precursors to ATO and OTP interception
- Assess account takeover risk before a passcode is even sent, so a scammer’s device doesn’t receive it in place of the legitimate owner’s
- Combine mobile risk signals with IP-based location intelligence to catch anomalous access patterns
How It Works
- A login or high-risk action (password reset, high-value transaction) triggers a risk assessment.
- Zumigo checks the mobile number’s recent history for SIM swap, porting, call forwarding, and deactivation signals.
- A trust score is returned reflecting the likelihood the request is coming from the legitimate account owner.
- Based on the score, the business allows the action, requires step-up authentication, or blocks it outright — before any OTP is sent or sensitive action is completed.
Related Products
- Assure Insights: Real-time risk signals (SIM swap, porting, call forwarding, deactivation) and holistic trust scoring for the account holder.
- Assure Authentication: Layered authentication — silent network authentication, OTP, and passkeys — to confirm the real owner is present.
- DeRiskify OrderRisk: Order-level risk scoring for e-commerce merchants to catch ATO-driven fraudulent purchases before fulfillment.
Why Zumigo
- Detect ATO risk before a one-time passcode is sent to a compromised device
- Use real-time carrier signals that reflect what’s actually happening on the account, not just what credentials were entered
- Protect consumers, accounts, brand reputation, and the bottom line from SIM swap and port-out fraud
- Apply the same protection consistently across web, mobile app, and contact center channels
FAQ
What is account takeover (ATO) fraud?
ATO fraud occurs when a fraudster gains unauthorized access to a legitimate user’s account, typically using stolen credentials, and then uses that access to steal information, funds, loyalty points, or services.
How does a SIM swap lead to account takeover?
If a fraudster convinces a carrier to transfer (“swap”) a victim’s phone number to a SIM card they control, they can intercept SMS one-time passcodes intended for the real owner, effectively bypassing SMS-based two-factor authentication.
Can Zumigo detect ATO risk before a passcode is sent?
Yes. Zumigo can assess account takeover risk — including recent SIM swap or porting activity — before an OTP is generated, so passcodes aren’t handed to a compromised device in the first place.
Does ATO protection work across channels?
Yes, Zumigo’s mobile identity signals can be applied consistently across web, mobile app, and contact center interactions, so a fraudster can’t simply switch channels to avoid detection.