Smile ID, Africa’s leading provider of biometric and identity verification services, has launched ‘Enhanced SmartSelfie™’, an upgrade to its active liveness detection technology. With this enhanced feature, Smile ID is tackling fraud head-on, providing a robust solution for industries such as banking, digital payments, remittances, and merchant acquiring.
Achieving the prestigious ISO/IEC 30107-3:2023 Level 2 certification, Enhanced SmartSelfie™ has proven to prevent even the most sophisticated fraud attempts, with a 0% penetration rate recorded for advanced facial spoofing attacks.
What Makes Enhanced SmartSelfie™ Unique?
Enhanced SmartSelfie™ builds upon traditional liveness detection by incorporating dynamic, AI-driven facial recognition challenges. Unlike older systems, this advanced technology asks users to perform random actions such as head turns or specific facial gestures during verification.
These measures prevent fraudsters from using:
- Static images
- Pre-recorded videos
- Advanced 3D masks
This innovative feature is fully integrated into Smile ID’s authentication suite, including:
- SmartSelfie™ Authentication
- Biometric KYC
- Document Verification
Businesses can integrate Enhanced SmartSelfie™ seamlessly, enhancing security while maintaining a smooth user experience.
The Rising Threat of Fraud in Africa
Africa’s digital economy has seen rapid growth, but it has also become a target for fraudsters. Alarming statistics from high-risk sectors underscore the urgent need for advanced security measures:
- Nigeria: Banks reported fraud losses of N42.6 billion in Q2 2024 alone, surpassing all losses recorded in 2023. (Source: FITC Fraud and Forgeries Report, 2024)
- South Africa: A 45% rise in digital banking fraud cases contributed to a 47% increase in financial losses in 2023.
- Kenya: Debit card fraud at one of the country’s leading banks led to a $2.1 million loss.
With these rising figures, biometric authentication has emerged as a top defence against fraud. Smile ID reported a 700% surge in authentication requests from January to December 2024, reflecting growing trust in its solutions..
Industry-Leading Certification Against Fraud
Enhanced SmartSelfie™ is certified under ISO/IEC 30107-3:2023 Level 2, a global standard for biometric liveness detection. This certification confirms the technology’s ability to thwart advanced fraud tactics such as deepfakes and 3D mask attacks.
Mark Straub, CEO of Smile ID, shared:
“Fraudsters constantly adapt, and so do we. Enhanced SmartSelfie™ gives businesses a secure and reliable tool to verify identities, reducing fraud while maintaining a seamless user experience.”
Why Businesses Choose Smile ID
Smile ID focuses on Africa’s unique challenges, making it a preferred choice for businesses across the continent. Here’s why:
- Optimized for low-bandwidth conditions and budget-friendly Android devices prevalent in Africa.
- Seamless integration across both web and mobile platforms.
- Support for continuous authentication and advanced machine-learning algorithms.
- Additional services like document verification, business verification, AML checks, bank account verification, and phone number verification.
Smile ID empowers businesses to stay ahead of fraudsters by offering scalable and effective tools to protect user identities and financial transactions.
