Call Center Fraud Is Rising—Here’s How to Fight Back

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In today’s hyper-connected world, call centers remain a vital channel for customer service—especially in industries like banking, healthcare, and insurance. But with that reliance comes an escalating threat: call center fraud. Fraudsters are increasingly targeting contact centers as a vulnerable entry point to gain access to sensitive customer data, transfer funds, or commit identity theft.

According to industry reports, fraud attempts in call centers have increased year-over-year, often exploiting outdated authentication methods like PINs, passwords, or security questions. As fraudsters grow more sophisticated—using tactics like social engineering, AI-generated voice deepfakes, and stolen personal data—traditional defenses are proving inadequate.

Why Are Call Centers a Target?

Call centers often serve as a fallback when digital channels block access. If a fraudster can’t log in online due to multi-factor authentication, they’ll call in and attempt to socially engineer their way past a human agent. These attacks are low-tech but highly effective, especially when contact centers rely on knowledge-based authentication (KBA), which is easily bypassed using publicly available or stolen data.

Once inside, fraudsters can change account details, order replacement cards, or initiate transactions—all under the guise of a legitimate account holder. And with each successful attempt, the risk to your institution’s reputation, compliance posture, and bottom line increases.

A recent case involving Navy Federal Credit Union starkly illustrates this risk: a fraud ring exploited stolen identities to siphon over $335,000 from account holders—until law enforcement and the institution coordinated to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Cost of Inaction

Beyond financial losses, call center fraud leads to:

• Degraded trust when account holders fall victim to identity theft.
• Operational strain as agents spend more time verifying identities manually.
• Regulatory risk as oversight increases around data protection and fraud prevention.
• Brand damage from publicized breaches or negative customer experiences.

In short, not acting quickly to modernize your authentication process could be far more expensive than the investment needed to recover from a successful attack.

Fighting Back with IllumaSHIELD™

The most effective way to counter rising call center fraud is by upgrading your authentication process—and that’s where IllumaSHIELD™ comes in. IllumaSHIELD™ uses passive voice biometrics to verify callers in real time during natural conversation. There’s no need for PINs, passwords, or security questions—just a seamless, secure experience for both agents and account holders.

IllumaSHIELD™ analyzes over 7,500 unique vocal characteristics to create a voiceprint, allowing it to authenticate genuine account holders quickly while blocking imposters. This not only reduces the risk of fraud, but also shortens call times, boosts account holder satisfaction, and eases the burden on your agents. It’s a modern, intelligent solution designed to meet today’s evolving security threats head-on.

Proven Success in the Field

Consider Empower Federal Credit Union, which deployed IllumaSHIELD™ across its contact center. In just six months, the credit union protected over 30,000 members, significantly reducing call times and fraud risk. The result? Faster service, lower costs, and greater peace of mind for members and agents alike. Across the entire client base, IllumaSHIELD blocked over 6,000 High Risk phone calls in Q2 2025 alone.

A Smarter, Safer Future

Modernizing your call center authentication isn’t just about stopping fraud—it’s about creating a seamless, secure experience for your account holders. By adopting advanced tools like voice biometrics, you can protect sensitive data, empower your agents, and stay one step ahead of evolving threats.

Ready to See It in Action?

Don’t wait for fraud to cost your organization time, trust, and money. Book a personalized demo today to see how voice authentication can strengthen your defenses and streamline account holder service.