How Liveness Detection Stops Identity Fraud: Real Results from ScanDoc
Identity fraud costs businesses worldwide over $56 billion annually, making liveness detection critical for organizations seeking robust security solutions. Fraudsters constantly develop sophisticated methods to bypass traditional verification systems, using everything from printed photos to deepfake videos.
ScanDoc’s advanced liveness detection technology combines document scanning with precise face recognition algorithms to create a multilayered defense against identity theft.
Face matching capabilities verify that the person completing digital customer onboarding is genuinely present during the process. Additionally, this comprehensive identity verification system detects subtle signs of manipulation that automated fraud attempts typically miss.
This article examines how ScanDoc’s liveness detection technology works, the impressive real-world results it delivers, and why it has become essential for businesses facing increasingly complex fraud threats.
You’ll discover the specific technologies behind the system, see quantifiable results from actual deployments, and learn how seamlessly it integrates into existing verification workflows.
Types of Liveness Detection Used by ScanDoc
Liveness detection serves as a crucial security mechanism within biometric verification systems, confirming that an actual person is physically present rather than a sophisticated fraud attempt.
ScanDoc implements multiple approaches to this technology, with particular emphasis on challenge-response methodologies.
Active Liveness Detection: Prompt-Based Interaction
Active liveness detection represents the cornerstone of ScanDoc’s anti-fraud strategy. This approach requires direct user participation through specific prompted actions during the verification process.
Unlike passive methods that work silently in the background, active techniques create deliberate interaction points that fraudulent attempts typically cannot overcome.
When users engage with ScanDoc’s verification system, they receive instructions to perform certain actions, such as:
- TurnHeadLeftAction
- TurnHeadUpAction
- TurnHeadRightAction
- TurnHeadDownAction
- TiltHeadLeftAction
- TiltHeadRightAction
- SmileAction
- CloseLeftEyeAction
- CloseRightEyeAction
- OpenMouthAction
The power of this approach lies in its unpredictability and real-time requirements. Even as deepfake technology advances, these prompt-based challenges remain effective because they generate subtle facial movements and behavioral cues extraordinarily difficult to replicate using static images or pre-recorded content.
Behind the scenes, sophisticated AI-based algorithms track pupil movement and monitor the natural flow of motion as users interact with their identity documents.
This tracking happens within seconds, eliminating the need for lengthy video recording processes. The system examines key facial reference points to determine whether the person is genuinely present or if someone is attempting to use a silicon mask, photograph, or video recording to fraudulently access the system.
For instances involving voice biometrics, ScanDoc’s active liveness detection might prompt users to repeat specific phrases multiple times. These voice samples establish unique voice prints while simultaneously confirming authenticity through speech pattern analysis.
Though highly effective against presentation attacks (spoofing attempts), active liveness detection presents certain usability considerations. The requirement for explicit user participation introduces some friction into the verification flow.
Nevertheless, ScanDoc has optimized these interactions to minimize user frustration while maintaining security integrity.
The challenge-response nature of active liveness detection makes it particularly valuable in high-security environments where certainty about user identity outweighs minor convenience compromises.
Consequently, this approach forms an essential component of ScanDoc’s multi-layered defense against increasingly sophisticated identity fraud attempts.
Core Technologies Behind ScanDoc’s Detection System
ScanDoc’s liveness detection framework rests upon a foundation of specialized technologies working in concert to distinguish genuine users from fraudulent attempts. Behind the simple user interface lies a sophisticated technical architecture designed to detect even the most advanced presentation attacks.
3D Depth Sensing with Infrared Mapping
At the core of ScanDoc’s system is advanced 3D depth sensing technology that creates detailed topographical maps of facial features. This technology projects invisible infrared light patterns onto the user’s face, measuring how these patterns deform across facial contours.
The resulting data creates a three-dimensional model that distinguishes between flat surfaces (photos) and genuine facial topography.
This infrared mapping technology captures subtle depth variations impossible to replicate with printed images or screen displays. Furthermore, the system analyzes how infrared light reflects differently from human skin versus synthetic materials, enabling detection of masks and other physical spoofing attempts.
Motion Analysis for Micro-Expressions
The human face naturally produces thousands of micro-movements even when attempting to remain still. ScanDoc’s motion analysis algorithms track these involuntary micro-expressions and subtle movements that occur at submillimeter levels.
These imperceptible movements create unique biometric patterns that current deepfakes and presentation attacks cannot accurately simulate. The analysis happens in milliseconds, providing real-time authentication without disrupting the user experience.
AI-Based Challenge-Response Mechanisms
ScanDoc employs artificial intelligence to create dynamic verification challenges that adapt based on risk assessment. Instead of using predictable patterns, the system generates randomized challenges requiring specific responses that must align with natural human behavior patterns.
The AI engine analyzes response timing, motion fluidity, and physiological consistency. For instance, the system might request a specific head movement while simultaneously analyzing dozens of variables including motion acceleration, deceleration, and natural movement arcs.
Essentially, the technology creates an invisible conversation between system and user that fraudulent attempts cannot anticipate or replicate.
This multi-layered approach enables ScanDoc to maintain high security standards without compromising the streamlined verification experience that users expect from modern digital identity systems.
Real-World Results from ScanDoc Deployments
ScanDoc’s implementation of liveness detection has delivered impressive results across various sectors, as evidenced by real-world deployment metrics that showcase its effectiveness against increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts.
Fraud Reduction in Fintech Onboarding
Financial institutions face staggering challenges with identity fraud, which costs over £2.3 billion annually in the UK alone. In the fintech sector, synthetic identity fraud specifically costs online lenders $6 billion yearly.
ScanDoc’s biometric verification system has proven particularly valuable in this environment, as it automatically compares selfies with document images to verify identity authenticity.
Moreover, the system’s ability to detect potentially forged documents by identifying inconsistencies and tampering indicators has significantly reduced fraudulent account creation attempts.
Drop in Manual Review Rates by 60%
Organizations implementing ScanDoc have reported substantial operational improvements. Document scanning solutions have reduced error rates from the industry average of 1 in 100 entries to just 1 in 10,000—representing a 99% improvement.
According to implementation data, this precision has directly contributed to a 60% reduction in manual review requirements. Subsequently, businesses have experienced faster verification times and lower operational costs.
Notably, catching fraud early in the onboarding cycle through automated liveness checks has streamlined internal workflows, allowing compliance teams to focus on truly complex cases.
Improved Conversion Rates in Mobile KYC
Implementation of ScanDoc typically reduces customer wait times from 20 minutes to just 5 minutes—a 75% improvement in processing efficiency. This speed enhancement is critical since over 70% of users abandon excessively long onboarding processes.
In practice, KYC conversion rates have improved from industry averages of 65-95% [10], primarily by removing friction points that previously caused high drop-off rates.
Detection of Deepfake Attempts in Live Environments
In 2024, a deepfake attempt occurred approximately every five minutes [11], with a 245% year-over-year increase worldwide.
Despite this surge, ScanDoc’s sophisticated liveness detection has successfully identified and blocked these attempts in real-time environments.
This capability has become increasingly valuable as studies show only 21.6% of people can correctly identify AI-generated videos.
Integration and Compliance in Identity Workflows
Effective identity verification extends beyond technology alone—it must fit into broader business processes. ScanDoc’s liveness detection system addresses this need through flexible implementation options and strict adherence to global regulations.
Seamless Integration with KYC and AML Systems
ScanDoc functions as a core component within comprehensive Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks rather than as a standalone solution.
The system offers:
- API-based architecture enabling straightforward incorporation into existing verification workflows
- Docker container implementation that minimizes impact on IT infrastructure while accelerating deployment timelines
- Compatible integration with existing user interfaces without disrupting the customer experience
This design philosophy ensures that businesses maintain full control over their user interface while embedding robust verification capabilities into their processes.
Particularly in financial institutions, liveness detection enhances remote onboarding by confirming the physical presence of individuals initiating transactions or opening accounts.
Data Privacy and GDPR Alignment
Beyond technical capabilities, ScanDoc prioritizes regulatory compliance through:
- End-to-end encryption for all document images and extracted data
- Alignment with ISO/IEC 30107-3 standards for biometric presentation attack detection
- Comprehensive compliance with GDPR principles as a baseline for global privacy protection
- Regional hosting options to meet specific data protection requirements
Given that liveness detection often processes biometric data, which receives special protection under GDPR, ScanDoc implements strict security protocols. The system employs robust access controls, detailed audit trails, and secure data handling practices that satisfy regulatory scrutiny.
Additionally, ScanDoc helps organizations meet their own compliance obligations by providing tools that document verification processes. This dual approach—meeting internal standards while enabling customer compliance—creates a transparent environment that builds trust throughout the verification ecosystem.
By addressing both technical integration and regulatory alignment, ScanDoc delivers a solution that works within real-world business constraints while satisfying increasingly stringent identity verification requirements.
Conclusion
Identity fraud continues to evolve at an alarming rate, therefore businesses must implement robust verification systems to protect themselves and their customers. ScanDoc’s liveness detection technology stands as a formidable defense against increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts through its multi-layered approach.
The combination of active challenge-response mechanisms, 3D depth sensing, and micro-expression analysis creates a security framework that fraudsters find extraordinarily difficult to circumvent. Real-world deployments clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
Financial institutions have witnessed substantial reductions in synthetic identity fraud while simultaneously decreasing manual review requirements by 60%. Additionally, conversion rates have improved significantly as customer onboarding times dropped from 20 minutes to just 5 minutes.
Perhaps most importantly, ScanDoc’s system has proven highly effective against the rising threat of deepfake attacks, which now occur approximately every five minutes globally. This protection remains crucial as research shows only 21.6% of people can correctly identify AI-generated videos.
Organizations seeking comprehensive identity verification solutions will find ScanDoc’s seamless integration capabilities particularly valuable. The system works harmoniously with existing KYC and AML frameworks while maintaining strict compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR.
This balance between security, usability, and regulatory alignment addresses the complete spectrum of identity verification challenges.
As fraudsters develop increasingly sophisticated methods to bypass traditional security measures, liveness detection has transformed from a supplementary feature into an essential component of any comprehensive identity verification strategy.
ScanDoc’s technology exemplifies how advanced biometric solutions can effectively protect businesses while still delivering the streamlined experience modern customers expect.
Interested to see how ScanDoc can supercharge your business?
Request a Demo
Secure your business and build client trust with reliable data extraction and identity verification solutions.
Get a Demo
