Fraud is relentless. Just as banks and financial institutions strengthen their controls, fraudsters adapt - exploiting gaps created by new technologies, regulatory change, or even improved security measures themselves. According to Paul Simpson, Sales Manager for Mobile Intelligence at JT, this constant evolution is exactly why mobile intelligence has become one of the most powerful (and often misunderstood) tools in modern fraud prevention.
“Fraud never goes away,” says Paul. “It’s always dynamically changing. Fraudsters are constantly trying to stay one step ahead - sometimes ahead of technology, sometimes riding on the back of regulation.”
Today, mobile intelligence is no longer a “nice to have”. It is a critical layer in protecting customers, reducing friction, and closing the gaps that fraudsters actively target.
Over the past decade, the fraud landscape across the UK and Europe has changed dramatically. What was once limited, opportunistic fraud has evolved into highly organised, data‑driven crime.
Paul has seen this shift first‑hand.
“When I first got involved in the payments sector, there was very little fraud or scams. Now it’s account takeover, SIM swap fraud, social engineering - and increasingly authorised push payment (APP) fraud.”
Regulatory initiatives such as Confirmation of Payee (CoP) in the UK and Verification of Payee in Europe have made progress in reducing certain types of APP fraud. But as controls tighten in one area, fraudsters simply move to another.
“Those protections have helped, but they’ve also created new gaps - and fraudsters are very good at finding the soft spots.”
This is where mobile intelligence comes into play.
The mobile phone has quietly become the most trusted device in a person’s life. It’s always with us, deeply personal, and packed with signals that can help verify who someone really is.
“As mobile devices have become more advanced, they’ve become a trusted extension of the individual,” Paul explains. “The signals they provide - from network data to SIM intelligence and location - are incredibly powerful when used responsibly.”
Unlike traditional authentication methods, mobile intelligence does not rely on what a user knows (such as a password) or what they must manually enter (such as a one-time passcode). Instead, it focuses on who they are, the phone they are using, and how that phone is behaving - all in real time.
“Mobile intelligence should really be an industry standard. It’s not something one vendor invented - it’s an entire sector that plays a critical role in fraud prevention.”
Ask ten people to define mobile intelligence, and you may get ten different answers. Paul’s definition keeps it simple.
“Mobile intelligence is about combining trusted data held by mobile network operators with intelligence from the device itself - things like the SIM, the network, and location - to help confirm that someone really is who they claim to be.”
In practice, this means bringing together:
• Network level data from mobile operators
• SIM based intelligence, such as recent changes or anomalies
• Device and behavioural indicators, all working silently in the background
The result is a powerful, low-friction way to combat fraud - without putting the burden back on the customer.
One of the biggest challenges facing banks today is the trade off between security and customer experience. More controls often mean more friction - and frustrated customers.
That’s why solutions such as silent authentication are gaining traction.
“Silent authentication actually reduces friction,” says Paul. “It removes the need to wait for one-time passcodes, worry about delays, or rush to enter a code before it expires.”
By authenticating users in the background, organisations can maintain strong security while delivering smoother digital journeys - something customers increasingly expect.
JT’s mobile intelligence portfolio is designed to work alongside existing fraud controls, not replace them. It helps organisations identify gaps, strengthen decision-making, and improve outcomes across the customer lifecycle.
Paul describes it as a collaborative approach.
“It’s about working with what organisations already have - understanding where the gaps are and plugging those gaps with mobile intelligence.”
JT works closely with industry bodies and partners such as UK Finance and the GSMA, helping to educate the market on how mobile intelligence fits into broader fraud strategies.
“We still speak to many fraud specialists who simply ask, ‘What is mobile intelligence?’ That shows how new - and how important - this space still is.”
Looking ahead, Paul believes fraud prevention will become increasingly mobile-centric, with identity, payments, and intelligence converging on the device itself.
“The phone already knows a huge amount - how someone types, how they use apps, where they are, what ‘normal’ behaviour looks like. Combine that with trusted network data, and it becomes incredibly powerful.”
As payments, digital identity and authentication continue to shift to mobile, mobile intelligence will play a central role in confirming:
• It’s the right person
• Using the right device
• In the right place
• Behaving in a consistent, trusted way
“That convergence is where the market is heading. Fraud prevention won’t sit just in the bank - it will sit on the phone, supported by the intelligence behind it.”
Fraud may never stand still - but neither does innovation. As fraudsters evolve, so too must the tools used to stop them.
Mobile intelligence offers a powerful, trusted, and low friction way to close gaps, protect customers, and future-proof fraud strategies. And as awareness grows, it’s quickly becoming one of the most important layers in modern financial security.
Paul Simpson, will be speaking at the Fraud Conference 2026 in London on Tuesday 12th May.