Creating a Safer, Simpler, and More Reliable Digital Experience with Alkami, BioCatch & Appgate

A well-established, member-owned credit union has long served its community by offering a wide array of financial services designed to prioritize member satisfaction and financial well-being. In an effort to stay competitive and relevant in a digital-first environment, the credit union sought to modernize its digital banking experience with a focus on security, ease of use, and reliability.

Enhancing Digital Banking for Members

Digital Banking Platform Challenges

The credit union faced several key challenges in delivering consistent digital services to its members. System instability and limited administrative capabilities led to frustrations among staff and members alike. This not only hindered day-to-day operations but also negatively impacted the member experience.

Goals and Strategic Direction

To address these issues, the credit union partnered with Alkami to enhance the digital experience for both retail and business members. Core goals included improving system stability, responsiveness, and the overall usability of the platform.

Implementation: Platform Design and User Feedback

Working with Alkami, the credit union rolled out a plan focused on redesigning the user interface and improving the member journey. This included user research, staff and member feedback collection, and iterative design updates to simplify navigation and improve accessibility.

Member Engagement Outcomes

• Digital User Growth: Increased by 14%
• Digital Banking Penetration: Rose by 8%, reaching 56%
• Digital Banking Adoption Rate: Reached 57%, with a goal of 60% by 2024
• App Rating: Improved from 3.8 to 4.8 out of 5
• Membership Base: 189,000+
• Asset Size: $3.5 billion

Tackling New Fraud Threats Head-On

Security Gaps and Fraud Risks

The credit union faced a rise in various fraud vectors, including:

• Social Engineering Attacks: Members received fraudulent communications leading to unauthorized account access.
• Internal Transfer Fraud: Unusual internal transfers flagged as potentially suspicious.
• RATs and BOTs: Increased use of malware targeting member credentials and account access.
• Limited Visibility: Existing tools did not provide sufficient transparency into emerging threats.

Security Strategy and Tools

To strengthen security, the credit union integrated additional tools from Alkami’s partner ecosystem. This multi-layered strategy enhanced monitoring, detection, and response capabilities across both identity and transactional vectors.

Layered Security Implementation

BioCatch: Behavioral biometrics solution that monitors user interaction patterns to verify identity. Threshold scores of 800 triggered multi-factor authentication (MFA) or transaction blocking.

Appgate: Rule-based transaction monitoring system enabling granular fraud detection, including time-based blocking and anomaly detection for transfers.

Fraud Detection and Risk Reduction Results

• Reduced Fraud: Meaningful drop in fraudulent activity.
• Improved Daily Monitoring: 20–30 alerts per day, with about 5 requiring follow-up.

Behavioral and Transactional Threat Monitoring

To combat sophisticated fraud threats, the credit union implemented detailed monitoring rules and tools focused on behavioral and transactional anomalies.

BioCatch Account Takeover Protection: The credit union used BioCatch to evaluate user behavior in real-time, measuring factors like typing cadence, mouse movement, and interaction patterns. A risk score was generated for each session. When a session exceeded a set risk threshold (e.g., a score above 900), the system could prompt MFA, deny the action, or lock the session. These high-risk sessions represented roughly 85% of flagged fraudulent activity. BioCatch also tracked indicators of remote access tools (RATs), such as erratic mouse paths or inconsistent typing behavior, further strengthening detection.

Appgate Transaction Monitoring: Appgate enabled the creation of dynamic, context-aware rules to detect and respond to suspicious transactions. Key configurations included:

• Blocking or flagging high-risk internal transfers.
• Restricting transfers during non-business hours (e.g., weekends or overnight).
• Monitoring new member-to-member transfer patterns, especially those involving rapid fund movement followed by attempted cash-outs through payment apps or digital wallets.

Key Gains in Digital Access and Fraud Protection

By collaborating with Alkami, the credit union achieved measurable success in both digital engagement and fraud prevention. The redesigned digital platform led to increased user satisfaction, while layered security protocols provided protection against a wide range of threats. This case underscores the importance of combining user-centered design with adaptive security solutions to meet the evolving expectations and risks of digital banking.