Neustar Adds Caller Authentication, Fraud Prevention with TrustID Acquisition

Information services provider Neustar is acquiring TrustID, a provider of caller authentication and fraud prevention systems for contact centers.

Neustar said the acquisition enhances its risk portfolio by adding more inbound call engagement services to its outbound call-engagement products and solutions. The deal is expected to close next month and the financial details weren’t disclosed.

Both Neustar and TrustID work with channel partners, but no additional information is being shared regarding what the acquisition will mean to partners.

Neustar’s Charlie Gottdiener

“Our risk business is a strategic priority for Neustar’s growth and this transaction represents a significant investment to deliver a broader solution set and enrich future capabilities,” said Charlie Gottdiener, Neustar’s president and CEO. “By combining our solutions with TrustID, we will deliver more value to our customers, further enhance our market leadership and welcome new employees with significant subject matter expertise and industry knowledge.”

TrustID works with financial institutions and other enterprises to authenticate callers, protect account access, prevent fraud and comply with regulations.

Neustar said it serves many of the largest business-to-consumer companies in the world, including more than 60 of the Fortune 100, with large call centers, offering a current channel to cross-sell TrustID offerings.

“The combination of the two companies is a major win for TrustID customers,” said Patrick Cox, TrustID’s CEO. “Neustar’s powerful identity data joined with TrustID’s market-leading authentication system will drive further efficiency within call centers by increasing the precision for risk stratification of non-authenticated inbound calls. Our combined solutions will improve the customer experience, increase authentication rates, and remove additional friction through improved caller matching to existing customer relationship management (CRM) records using Neustar’s AccountLink.”

TrustID’s suite of SaaS products and services allow contact centers to automatically authenticate callers before their calls are answered, using a patented approach aimed at maximizing contact center efficiency, mitigating fraud and optimizing the customer experience, the company said.

Longer term, TrustID’s authentication technology will be extended to outbound calling use cases, further enhancing Neustar’s existing solutions that boost customer contact rates and engagement. These products will be part of the broader Neustar Risk Solutions portfolio.