Judith Francis Blog

You might be surprised by the level of sophistication and organization of today's bank thieves. Rather than holding up a branch, today's robbers use resources purchased on the dark web, the internet's underbelly, to hack accounts and drain them with fraudulent charges.

"I'm not sure the industry is staying a step ahead," says Kurt Long, the founder and CEO of data protection firm FairWarning. "It's an arms race." However, banks aren't helpless in the face of these thieves, and they are continually working to improve their systems to detect and deter fraud.

People-centric systems pose new challenges. In the days before cloud applications, it was easier to protect data. A firewall or similar system could be adequate to keep information safe from most threats. Today, it's different. "It's not as easy as putting a ringed fence around the data," Long says.

That's because millions of people are now accessing data from the cloud. Not only does a system have to keep its information safe from outside attack, but it also has to ensure all those people using it are who they say they are. These people-centric systems pose a special challenge for financial institutions. "You've got to have a multi-layer approach," says Vince Liuzzi, chief banking officer at DNB First. As a result, banks are combining machine learning and automation with old-fashioned customer contact to identify and address potential fraud.

Algorithms and AI working together. The earliest automated fraud detection systems relied on algorithms to identify potential problems. "Algorithms are sets of rules," explains Salvatore LaScala, AML practice leader and managing director for consulting firm Navigant. If a rule is broken – say a larger than normal purchase is made – the algorithm triggers a follow-up action such as a text message or phone call to the customer. "It's trying to see if I'm actually in Dubai doing something," LaScala says.

However, an algorithm alone can't adjust itself. If a customer visits Dubai every month and confirms that every purchase made there is legitimate, the algorithm will continue to flag those transactions until it has been modified to account for this customer behavior. That's where artificial intelligence, or machine learning, comes into play. "Artificial intelligence helps algorithms work more quickly," LaScala says. Rather than waiting for a person to adjust an algorithm, AI can tweak the model as new data is gathered.

"There is data provided for every card swipe," says Patrick Davie, vice president of card services for Fiserv, a technology solutions company for the financial services industry. This includes the place, time, amount and other details of the transaction. "That all gets fed into the model." Then the AI determines if and how the algorithm should change for that customer.

"Machine learning can start modeling out what are the appropriate behaviors," Long says. As a result, a large purchase overseas can pass through the system unchecked if it fits with a customer's previous purchasing behavior.

In addition to creating algorithms to flag suspicious behavior, organizations are increasingly open to using community intelligence, Long says. This means that when one bank becomes aware of a new or trending security threat, it shares that information with other institutions that may become targets.

Balancing convenience with security. The problem with bank anti-fraud measures is they often come with a level of inconvenience. "Historically, people like me were paid to stop fraud and not worry about the customer experience," Davie says.

Nowadays, that could be a costly approach for a financial institution. If a person has two or more legitimate transactions denied within a seven-month period, the average spending on that card six months after the last denial goes down 15 percent. What's more, 20 percent of people will stop using the card completely, according to a recent Fiserv analysis of 20 million cardholders.

"It's critical that you balance the automated measures with exceptional customer service," Liuzzi says. That level of service might be enough to offset any annoyance with having to verify purchases or deal with a temporarily locked card.

Still, LaScala says the risk of alienating customers is one banks have to take. "The brand has to maintain integrity," he says. No one wants to bank at an institution known for lax security.

Getting help from customers. While automated systems are doing the bulk of the work to detect fraud, financial institutions are hoping customers will help in the effort as well. Liuzzi says some things, such as the ability to search an extended account history online, are offered as a customer convenience, but they also serve a security purpose by letting people easily find questionable transactions.

Some banks are going even further by giving customers greater control over the use of their card. Fiserv's CardValet app sends alerts when cards are used, lets customers lock down a card to a certain geographic area and "turn off" cards they won't be using.

Although criminals can be sophisticated, sometimes the oldest tricks are still the most effective. "Phishing is probably one of the most prevalent ways we've seen [to commit fraud]," Liuzzi says. These scams involve sending emails to customers requesting they log in to verify account information. The messages look official, but take people to a dummy website that collects their banking information. Liuzzi says the best defense against these scams is customer education.

Bank thieves are upping their game all the time. "They are forever innovative," Davie says. But with a little help from customers and high-tech solutions, banks are hoping to keep pace and keep people's money safe.

Als uw huis ziet er saai of saai, dan is het tijd om je spel te intensiveren op het interieur volgens het advies van Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants. Een ding dat sterk zou kunnen bijdragen aan de verfraaiing van uw huis is het zetten van mooie kunstwerken. Je zult zeker opwinding voelen als je degene bent die verantwoordelijk is voor het ontwerpen van een kamer waar je ook de rol van de kunst te begrijpen in het geven van positieve energie en gevoel voor mensen. Het verzorgen van het interieur en het plaatsen van goede kunstwerken kan ook over jezelf, doe je best om kunst die je kan definiëren als een persoon door het kopen van originele en speciale kunst die u verkiest zetten.

Specifieke professionals beschouwen ook kunst als elegant en een element dat goede energie bezit. U vinden op top interieur tijdschriften de opneming van kunstwerken om meer stof te verstrekken aan een kamer. Als u op zoek bent naar originele en betaalbare kunstwerken, Zoek uw lokale kunsten. Ze bieden vaak kunst dicht bij de verfijning niveau van dure Ones.

Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants wil niet dat je jezelf stress in het kiezen van kunst voor uw huis, dus ze bereid een aantal eenvoudige tips die zijn ingesloten in de volgende paragrafen om beter te helpen bij het inrichten van uw interieur.

Om meer stijl toe te voegen aan de kunst, zet het op een frame. Het maakt het stuk ziet er duur en meer verfijnde. Goedkope frames kan ook wonder doen door simpelweg met behulp van uw persoonlijke creativiteit. Zorg ervoor dat de kunstwerken een evenwichtige Toon en schaal in het algemeen te bereiken. U gaan op andere genres, maar houd rekening met de Toon en schaal. Om een voorbeeld te geven, zwart-wit Foto's kunnen worden afgestemd op houtskool schilderijen en monochrome schilderijen.

Als uw huis biedt een aantal brede muren, het creëren van een collage van kunstwerken kan een goede impact te geven. Het ophangen van kleine stukjes bij elkaar kan resulteren in een prachtig meesterwerk aan de muur. Enerzijds, als u een specifiek thema volgt waar het traditioneel of modern kan zijn, zou u met het moeten plakken en kunststukken kopen die aan het verwant zijn.

Om meer nuttig advies te verzamelen, leestijd Schriften in verband met het gebruik van kunst in het ontwerpen van een huis, kantoor of persoonlijke ruimte. Verzamel alle belangrijke informatie en toepassen op uw ontwerpen. Om ook beter te waarderen elk kunstwerk, moet je weten wat hun echte betekenis en waarde. Elk stuk moet worden gebracht met betrekking tot elkaar en moet in overeenstemming zijn met uw gekozen thema. Alles moet dienovereenkomstig worden geregeld om die perfecte blik voor elke ruimte te hebben.

Eventuele problemen met betrekking tot kunst design? Neem contact op met Devin Fitzpatrick Art Consultants voor meer professionele hulp.

Doing Business in Japan With the Help of Tokyo Consulting Group

Tokyo Consulting Group's mission is to help companies doing business in Japan enhance their business operations through the incorporation of our accounting services. Our main services are business setup, book keeping & accounting consulting, audit, tax, labor M&A human resources, social insurance, payroll, and M&A operations.

Furthermore, we provide consulting and advising services in various types of businesses and industries for foreign and prospective entities who understand the business opportunities in Japan, and wish to establish their presence in this highly dynamic market. Our multicultural and multilingual staff is composed of more than 300 experienced and qualified professionals, many of them being Japanese Certified Public Accountants, USCPAs, Licensed Japanese Tax Accountants, and Social Insurance and Labor Specialists.

We have an integrated service philosophy which allows us to provide the best service by selecting the exact expertise needed for each project from our experienced staff. Thus, we can deliver the best service possible, from accounting and tax consulting work, to legal and cultural education about customs and regulations in Japan. Our integrated service philosophy allows us to provide the best service by selecting the exact expertise needed for each project, whether it is all-in-one or periodical consulting services for any business needs in Japan.

Tokyo Consulting Group's expertise comes from the extensive experience and knowledge of the Japanese business environment. With our extensive experience in setting up subsidiaries of foreign companies, we can help your organization at every step of the way when doing business in Japan.

Throughout our wide range of services, our commitment to our clients is absolute, and we focus on providing additional value to every engagement. It is our ultimate goal that our clients become successful in Japan, and contribute to society in an effective way with our support.

Tokyo Consulting Group is an affiliated firm of GGI, a large network of independent accounting, tax and consulting firms worldwide, with 22,180 professionals and 651 offices in 114 countries. As a Japan-based company, we have the advantage of understanding the Japanese culture and customer satisfaction standards, while partnering with a highly valued UK-based accounting group.

For a detailed presentation of our services, and to better understand how Tokyo Consulting Group can help your organization take advantage of the business opportunities in Japan, please select one of our areas of expertise on the left menu. You can also contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our expert staff.

With decades of providing a “science that solves” to the world, DuPont has become a company that many professionals, individuals, and organizations depend on. It seizes good market opportunities to deliver reliable products and solutions to solve some of the biggest challenges in the world, and one of which is about protecting life and the environment.

DuPont concentrates on giving worthwhile products and solutions using their gained knowledge in the field of science and engineering. The company makes sure to conduct careful analysis first before creating quality products to ensure the safety of each and every one. It also aims to broaden its knowledge in science, chemistry, biological science, and engineering to keep on giving science-based solutions to those who need them.

The massive growth of the global population has been an issue in the recent years because it also brings an increased number of challenges and pressure to the humankind. Different organizations around the world have been working hard to maintain a healthy environment and one of which is DuPont. The company, with the support of Cathay Dupont Award, doesn’t stop making innovations to protect our home planet.

It’s been proven many times that DuPont’s science-based materials, products, and consulting solutions had been a huge help to a lot of different individuals and organizations. The company also builds a global collaboration with customers, governments, NGOs, academics and other organizations to persevere with creating cutting-edge products and solutions that could help one another. Cathay Dupont Award sees this alliance a worthwhile endeavor.

You can be certain of the effectiveness of DuPont’s protective apparels, safer structures, and sustainability solutions since it is a company that could really protect you and your surroundings. Its concern for the environment still remains, thus it keeps on creating innovations that could help protect it.

It is necessary as well to protect those who protect us, right? And giving them the best equipment is one way to ensure their safety, and this is where DuPont’s products become of value. Heads of different departments related to first responders and military around the world trust DuPont and its offered products and solutions and continue to maintain their good relationship with the company. However, it is not just the heads of such departments that need the products of DuPont because architects also depend on them.

DuPont and its innovative strength will surely go on in bringing more advanced solutions to the world. And Cathay DuPont Award, on the other hand, will continue to give honor to those who excel in broadcasting, documentary and online journalism.