Hawk has previously launched a new AI-driven solution designed to transform fraud prevention for financial institutions.
Its Day One Defense Models allow banks and other firms to combine the speed of pre-built tools with the accuracy of custom-designed models, tackling a long-standing challenge in the industry, claims Hawk.
Fraud teams have traditionally faced a difficult choice. They could deploy out-of-the-box AI models that work quickly and spot common fraud risks but lack the nuance to reflect their own customer behaviour. Alternatively, they could invest in bespoke models that deliver sharper detection and fewer false positives but require months of development, significant costs and heavy technical input.
This trade-off between speed and precision has often left institutions struggling to balance operational efficiency with effective protection. As fraudsters evolve, firms increasingly need systems that can adapt rapidly while still being tailored to their unique risk environments.
Hawk believes it has solved this dilemma with its Day One Defense Models. These models are trained on each institution’s data and focused on specific fraud typologies. They can be deployed in days, not months, offering a middle ground between generic tools and fully custom-built systems.
The company has built a library of “typology blueprints” that capture the common features of major fraud patterns. These blueprints are then tuned to the specific institution’s needs, creating a personalised defence layer without the lengthy delays associated with bespoke builds.
One bank using Hawk’s merchant fraud model reported identifying 30% more fraudulent accounts. Scammers had been creating fake merchant profiles to deceive users into transferring money, then cashing out quickly. The model flagged unusual behaviour compared with genuine merchants, allowing fraud teams to act quickly.
The library currently spans a wide range of common threats, including chargeback fraud, stolen credit card use, mule accounts, account takeover, authorised push payment (APP) scams, and new account bust outs. All models are designed to make alert review straightforward, with explainable AI providing clear reasoning behind every flagged transaction.
By combining rapid deployment with personalisation, Hawk’s Day One Defense Models aim to give fraud teams the best of both worlds—fast implementation and targeted, institution-specific protection.
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