Fraud Prevention with Phone Intelligence

Phone intelligence helps detect fraud by identifying suspicious phone numbers, recently ported numbers that may indicate SIM swap attacks, and VoIP numbers commonly used for anonymous fraud.

The Challenge

  • SIM swap fraud enables account takeover via SMS authentication
  • VoIP numbers are easy to obtain anonymously for fraud
  • Reassigned numbers mean consent doesn't transfer
  • Fake identities use mismatched phone data

The Solution

VeriRoute Intel provides phone intelligence signals that help identify fraudulent accounts and suspicious activity. Most importantly, our exclusive LRN Activation Date reveals when a number was last ported — critical for SIM swap detection.

Fraud Detection Signals

LRN Activation Date (Exclusive)

The most powerful fraud signal: when was this number last ported?

  • Ported in last 7 days — High risk, especially during sensitive actions
  • Ported in last 30 days — Elevated risk, additional verification recommended
  • Stable for years — Lower risk, established carrier relationship
# SIM swap detection logic
if activation_date > last_known_contact_date:
    # Number may have changed hands
    flag_for_review()

if days_since_activation < 7:
    # Very recent port during sensitive action
    require_step_up_authentication()

Line Type (VoIP Detection)

VoIP numbers are easier to obtain anonymously:

  • No identity verification required
  • Can be obtained in minutes
  • Easy to abandon after fraud

Flag VoIP numbers for additional verification in high-risk scenarios.

CNAM Mismatch

Compare registered caller ID name against provided identity:

  • Significant mismatch = potential identity fraud
  • Business CNAM for claimed personal account = suspicious
  • Blocked/unavailable CNAM = elevated risk

Fraud Prevention Use Cases

Account Opening

Check phone intelligence during new account registration:

  • Recently ported? Require additional verification
  • VoIP number? Flag for review
  • CNAM mismatch? Verify identity

High-Value Transactions

Before wire transfers, large purchases, or sensitive changes:

  • Check if phone was ported since last login
  • Compare activation date to transaction risk level
  • Step up authentication for suspicious patterns

Password/Account Recovery

SMS-based recovery is vulnerable to SIM swap:

  • Check activation date before sending recovery SMS
  • Recent port = don't trust SMS, use alternative method

Implementation

def assess_phone_risk(phone_number, context):
    result = veriroute_lookup(phone_number, lrn=True, cnam=True)

    risk_score = 0

    # Check activation date
    days_since_port = (today - result['lrn']['activation_date']).days
    if days_since_port < 7:
        risk_score += 40
    elif days_since_port < 30:
        risk_score += 20

    # Check line type
    if result['lrn']['line_type'] == 'voip':
        risk_score += 25

    # Check CNAM
    if not names_match(result['cnam']['name'], context.provided_name):
        risk_score += 15

    return risk_score

Integration Points

  • Account signup — API call during registration
  • Login — Check before 2FA SMS
  • Transactions — Validate before processing
  • Account changes — Verify before sensitive updates

Detect Fraud Signals

Get LRN Activation Date and phone intelligence for fraud prevention.

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