Fighting Fraud During Holiday Peak:

Empowering Brands with Arise Digital Shield

The holiday season brings joy and cheer, but for companies, it also brings an increased risk of fraud and security breaches. With the surge in customer inquiries and transactions, workers providing customer support become prime targets for malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities. However, amidst these challenges, remote work has emerged as a surprisingly effective solution for bolstering security measures. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the intricacies of customer support fraud during the 2023 holiday season and explore how remote workers contribute to enhanced security protocols.

Understanding customer support fraud:

Companies, especially during the holiday season, experience a significant uptick in customer interactions. This surge provides ample opportunities for fraudsters to launch various attacks, including social engineering, account takeover, and identity theft. Fraudsters exploit overwhelmed agents and outdated security measures to manipulate agents and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The repercussions of such breaches are not only financial but also damage customer trust and tarnish the reputation of the business. In fact, 66% of U.S. consumers would not trust a company that’s experienced a data security incident.

Challenges faced by contact centers:

Traditional contact centers often struggle to mitigate fraud risks effectively. Legacy systems, inadequate training, and limited resources leave them vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats. Additionally, the centralized nature of on-premises contact centers presents a single point of failure, making it easier for attackers to infiltrate and wreak havoc. This is having significant impact. According to TransUnion, digital shopping fraud in the U.S. climbed 12% from November 23 – 27, 2023 compared to the rest of 2023. Globally, it was 15% higher than the same period in 2022. The impact in the Financial Services sector has been even more prevalent where 80% of survey respondents said that since 2021, attacks have been up more than 10%. The remaining 20% of respondents have seen increases of 80% in the same period.

The role of the Arise® Platform in enhancing security:

Enter the Arise® Platform – a game-changer in the realm of customer support security. The Arise® Platform leverages GigCX, providing companies access to a flexible, on-demand workforce of independent contractors or freelancers to handle customer inquiries and support tasks. With this solution, companies engage with Service Partners who possess the necessary skills and expertise to address customer needs on a temporary or project-based basis. The Arise® Platform offers several advantages over traditional setups, particularly concerning security:

Geographic Diversity & Tracking: Service Partners can be located in diverse locations, reducing the risk of localized disruptions due to natural disasters or regional outages. This geographic diversity also makes it harder for attackers to pinpoint and target specific contact center locations. Geolocation tracking is also implemented to ensure that gig workers are logging in from approved locations only. This helps prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information and reduces the risk of fraudulent activities.

Enhanced Authentication Measures: The sophisticated platform provides robust authentication protocols, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and biometric verification. These measures fortify access controls and ensure that only authorized personnel can handle sensitive customer data.

Utilization of AI and Machine Learning: The Arise Digital Shield is an AI-powered fraud detection systems used to identifying suspicious behaviors in real-time. It analyzes vast amounts of data to detect anomalies and flag potential fraudulent activities before they escalate.

Secure Communication Channels: Platform services rely heavily on encrypted communication channels and virtual private networks (VPNs) to safeguard data transmission. These encrypted channels create secure conduits for agents to interact with customers without fear of interception or eavesdropping.

Reduced Physical Vulnerabilities: By decentralizing operations, the Arise® Platform minimizes the physical vulnerabilities associated with centralized contact centers. There’s no single physical location for attackers to target, mitigating the risk of on-premises breaches and physical security breaches.

Reduced Insider Threats: Gig workers can potentially reduce insider threats as remote resources may feel less pressured or tempted to engage in fraudulent activities when working from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, remote work may provide fewer opportunities for collusion among individuals, especially with tools such at the Arise Digital SafeDesk. Here Arise is able to enforce a clean desk policy and prevent shoulder surfing with an Identity verification and authentication solution that utilizes AI, machine learning, computer visioning, and biometrics.

Adaptive Security Education: While some may assume otherwise, gig workers don’t escape the necessary learning and awareness programs that educate resources about emerging threats and best practices. Through proactive education, resources are empowered to recognize and mitigate potential security risks, thereby bolstering the overall resilience of the customer support function.

Wrapping up

As organizations brace themselves for the challenges of 2024, the importance of robust security measures cannot be overstated. By embracing the Arise® Platform, companies can strengthen their defenses against fraud and security breaches while empowering resources to deliver exceptional customer experiences. With the right combination of technology, education, and vigilance, brand leaders can navigate their peak seasons with confidence and safeguard the trust of their customers.