Real-time SIM Swap and Call Forward checks stop high value transfer fraud
How Currencies Direct combined SIM swap insight, call forwarding detection and mobile-to-person KYC Match to build a deeper, telecoms-layer defence that identified compromised numbers, blocked sophisticated fraud attempts, and protected tens of thousands of pounds in seconds.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Currencies Direct is an international money transfer provider serving consumers and businesses with cross-border payments.
The challenge
Fraudsters increasingly used techniques such as:
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SIM swaps to take control of mobile numbers.
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Unconditional call forwarding to silently redirect calls and intercept verification flows and one-time passwords.
Traditional KYC and document checks could not see these telecoms-level risks.
How XConnect’s mobile identity solutions helped
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SIM swap insight
XConnect’s SIM Swap API provided timestamped information on recent SIM changes for UK numbers at onboarding and during high-risk events.
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Call forward detection
Mobile network operators' call forwarding signals via an XConnect API checked whether the customer’s number was being forwarded to another destination and returned a Yes/No for unconditional call forward.
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Layered intelligence in one response
Combined with KYC Match, Currencies Direct received a traffic-light style risk view and could route applications to straight-through processing or manual review.
Results
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In a proof of concept, 3,662 numbers were analysed; the majority showed no recent SIM activity, while a small set carried elevated risk.
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Two near-identical applications arriving seconds apart, both using the same forwarded number, were identified and blocked, preventing a £25,000 loss.
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Ongoing use gives the fraud team a non-intrusive way to spot compromised numbers without extra customer steps
Why it matters
Fraud is increasingly moving into the telecoms layer. By using mobile network signals such as SIM swap and call forwarding, Currencies Direct can detect sophisticated attacks that bypass traditional checks, without adding friction for genuine customers.
XConnect, a Somos Company, uses the world’s most advanced Network API platform, built on our experience and expertise in pioneering mobile identity. Through our Uniti and SAFr platforms, we expose accurate, live, and tamper-proof Mobile Network Operator intelligence via standardised Open Gateway APIs as a GSMA Channel Partner, or our own tried-and-trusted APIs. Banks, fintechs, iGaming platforms, and eCommerce enterprises trust us to deliver Number Verify, SIM Swap and Call Forward checks, KYC Match, Authorised Push Payment fraud checks, tenure and more, all in a single API call. With global coverage and direct operator connections, XConnect gives organisations the network-level signals they need to not only verify customers, prevent fraud, and protect digital journeys at scale, but also to boost conversion, lifetime value, and loyalty