{"id":38504,"date":"2014-10-15T14:12:56","date_gmt":"2014-10-15T21:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=38504"},"modified":"2025-08-17T20:28:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T03:28:16","slug":"voiceprinting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/voiceprinting\/","title":{"rendered":"Banks are Using Biometric Measures to Protect Against Fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"

When thinking about biometric security, one might picture Mission Impossible-like retinal scanning or fingerprint reading technology a la the iPhone 6. But did you know that your voice can be a key to your security as well? Major banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, are employing recorded voice messages to help protect your hard-earned money from scammers. Allow me to explain.<\/p>\n

If you read this blog regularly, you\u2019ll know that cyber attacks on major organizations are occurring with increased regularity. Armed with stolen data from these attacks, cybercriminals are dialing into financial institutions attempting to answer your challenge questions and extract your earnings. To counter these efforts, banks are arming themselves with a biometric weapon\u2014your voice.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just your <\/em>voice they\u2019re using. It\u2019s the voices of 65 million people. Called \u201cvoiceprinting,\u201d this technology is aimed at detecting the bad guys (rather than confirming you are actually who you say you are). So how have banks obtained these voice samples to begin with? Well, it goes a little something like this: \u201cThis call may be monitored and recorded…\u201d<\/p>\n

While some privacy advocates are questioning the implications of this \u201cbank\u201d of biometric data (like, how else will this database be used in the future?), it\u2019s proving to be astoundingly effective at countering con artists.<\/p>\n

In fact, when combined with other fraud detection methods, banks have seen a 90% decrease<\/a> in the number of calls made by fraudsters. Voice biometric \u201cblacklists\u201d may just be a way of the future.<\/p>\n

Steps to Protect Yourself From Fraud<\/h2>\n

With all of the breaches that have occurred this past year (financial and otherwise), it\u2019s important to take proactive measures to protect yourself and your savings. Though you can count on your bank to bear some of the burden, you should always take additional steps to protect yourself from the potentiality of fraud. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n