Introducing Defend | Proof

Trust has always been a foundational component of the Proof and Notarize brands. In a world where most processes are being brought online, Proof's mission is to ensure that you can trust any individual you are working with to complete critical transactions.

With the rise of new technologies, simply verifying a credential is no longer enough. Businesses need to continuously monitor customer identity throughout their relationship. It's now common for bad actors to purchase a government ID online, complete with their own picture, for less than $15. These IDs often appear legitimate and can pass basic checks, leaving businesses vulnerable to fraud claims that cost significant time and money.

Most businesses have never met their customers in person. When receiving signed documents or when customers log in, it's difficult to be certain of their identity. Fraudsters can steal passwords, access emails, sign documents, and impersonate individuals without detection. This makes it necessary to question the trustworthiness of both paper and digital documents.

Falsified records and identity theft represent an $81B problem in the US. Businesses rely on the integrity of their records to execute critical transactions, such as wiring money, withdrawing funds, adding beneficiaries, creating trusts, or transferring property titles. In the wrong hands, these transactions can be life-ruining.

While payment networks protect merchants and consumers from credit card fraud, the same level of protection hasn't existed for document signing, notarization, or authorization. Until now, no signature platform has had built-in fraud detection, leading to issues with forgery and impersonation. Proof is the first signature platform to detect fraud and forgery every time a customer signs. This is why Proof built Defend over the last two years.

Introducing Defend: Protecting Businesses from Fraud

What Proof Built

Proof began as an online notarization company over nine years ago. Last year, the company expanded its name and product offering to Proof, supporting the mission of bringing trust to commerce. Now, Proof is a platform that can sign anything with your identity—whether you need basic eSign, identity-verified signatures, or notarization. Proof has been facilitating online closings since 2017 and supports eSign and notarizations for various transactions, including car purchases.

Customers choose Proof because it provides more tools to defend against forged documents, synthetic identities, identity fraud, and deepfakes. With fraud affecting every industry, electronic documents and records are increasingly under threat. Defend was built to address these challenges.

How Defend Detects Fraud

Defend uses an AI-based approach to fraud detection, built into the Proof platform to screen every signature and transaction. Whether a customer needs to sign, notarize, or verify their identity, Defend analyzes their identity and behavioral data comprehensively. It flags suspicious activity or transactions that may indicate attempted forgery.

Some of the variables Defend considers include:

• ​Whether the customer just created their email account
• ​Use of VOIP or pay-as-you-go phones
• ​Location discrepancies (e.g., claiming to be in the US but located abroad)
• ​Authenticity of video in notary meetings (e.g., detecting deepfakes)

Defend analyzes hundreds of signals and uses AI-powered models to assess risk. Proof has developed advanced anti-forgery detection in partnership with major companies in real estate and financial services.

At any point during a transaction, users can export a PDF of the complete identity profile for their records, providing tangible proof that the customer met identity verification standards—or, conversely, that the risk profile was too high to proceed. This record can also be used to track users who return for future transactions.

How to Use Defend

Defend is a paid feature that can be enabled for any Proof customer without changing workflows or integrations. It scans every transaction and signature in the background. The process is as follows:

• ​Send a transaction as usual, whether it requires online notarization, identity verification, or a basic eSignature. Defend runs across all transactions sent through the platform, regardless of whether the business uses the web, API, or EasyLink.
• ​In the transactions dashboard, a new column indicates that Defend has scanned each transaction. Transactions flagged as high risk are highlighted for attention.
• ​Real-time alerts are sent via email or webhook when a customer is flagged as high or medium risk.
• ​Review the Identity tab for flagged transactions to understand the reasons for the risk flag (e.g., suspicious IP address, risky phone number or email data). As more signals are added, the Identity Tab will include additional data, such as deepfake risk or forged credential images.
• ​Save the detailed report on each individual for your records to support decisions to accept or reject transactions.

What Makes Defend Effective

Defend aims to help businesses make informed decisions and take timely action based on data. Soon, Defend will analyze behaviors associated with high-risk users and make recommendations based on customizable risk tolerance and specific use cases. Businesses will be able to track customer identity profiles across multiple touchpoints, dynamically adjust verification approaches, and receive real-time alerts of suspicious activity.

Proof supports businesses in taking a proactive approach to protecting customers, reducing risk, and saving money lost to fraudulent transactions.

Interested in using Defend? Reach out to our team here.