Press Release
Media Contact: Milind Borkar, info@illuma.cx
AmFirst Selects Illuma to Advance Voice Security and Modernize Member Interactions
AmFirst and Illuma, the leader in AI-powered voice security for contact centers, today announced a partnership to implement IllumaSHIELD™ Voice Security—enhancing protection against rising voice-based fraud while delivering faster, more seamless member experiences.
As voice fraud grows more sophisticated—driven by social engineering and AI-generated audio—financial institutions are rethinking how they secure one of their most widely used service channels. AmFirst is taking a proactive approach by introducing a modern, layered voice security strategy that verifies callers in real time while maintaining a natural conversation flow.
At the core of this initiative is IllumaSHIELD™, which enables passive voice authentication as members speak, removing reliance on knowledge-based questions and reducing friction in the verification process. At the same time, the platform continuously evaluates calls for fraud risk, enabling dynamic responses when suspicious activity is detected.
Through this deployment, AmFirst is enhancing both protection and performance—helping agents move faster, reducing call times, and improving consistency across every interaction.
“Providing a secure and seamless experience is essential to how we serve our members,” said Robin Moore, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations and Process Management, AmFirst. “This initiative allows us to strengthen protection while creating a more efficient and modern contact center experience.”
Unlike traditional authentication methods that slow down interactions, IllumaSHIELD™ applies a layered approach—combining voice intelligence, fraud detection, and adaptive multi-factor authentication—to evaluate risk in real time. Legitimate callers are verified quickly, while higher-risk interactions trigger additional safeguards.
“Financial institutions can no longer rely on static verification methods in an increasingly dynamic threat environment,” said Milind Borkar, Founder and CEO of Illuma. “AmFirst is taking a forward-looking approach by implementing voice security that adapts in real time—protecting members while improving the overall service experience.”
IllumaSHIELD™ enables contact centers to quickly realize operational and security benefits. By reducing manual verification steps and introducing intelligent risk-based authentication, AmFirst is positioned to deliver stronger protection and more efficient member interactions.
This initiative reflects AmFirst’s continued focus on innovation—leveraging advanced technology to create secure, seamless, and future-ready experiences for its members.
About AmFirst
Established in 1936 by members of Birmingham’s steel industry, AmFirst is a federally chartered community credit union serving more than 200,000 members across 21 locations in 13 Alabama counties, with over $2.5 billion in assets. Recognized as one of the nation’s strongest credit unions, AmFirst provides affordable and innovative financial services while building meaningful relationships within the communities it serves. AmFirst has been named one of Forbes and Newsweek’s best credit unions for multiple years. The credit union ranks as the #1 credit union in Alabama by F&I Tools USA, based on Best APR, and has earned local awards for Best Credit Union and Best Financial Advising Group. For more information about AmFirst, visit www.amfirst.org.
About Illuma
Illuma is the FinTech leader and the only CUSO specialized in real-time voice security solutions for financial institutions. Its flagship solution, IllumaSHIELD™, combines AI-powered voice biometrics and fraud defenses with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and human-AI collaborative intelligence to deliver secure and seamless authentication, reducing fraud risks while improving efficiency in contact centers and self-service channels. IllumaSHIELD™ has been featured at premier FinTech events and has won multiple accolades, including ‘Best in Show’ at Finovate, VentureTech, CreditUnions.com Innovation Series, NACUSO Next Big Idea, and The League of Credit Unions & Affiliates 2025 Shark Tank recognizing our leadership in financial technology innovation. For more information, visit illuma.cx.