Major Irish Bank Turns to Selfie Biometrics for High-value Mobile Transactions

Allied Irish Banks (AIB) has announced the launch of a new feature called “Selfie Check” within its mobile banking application, allowing customers to authenticate larger payments using facial recognition.

The advancement enables users to make payments of up to €10,000 without the need for a physical card reader, aiming to simplify bank transfers and enhance the overall user experience. The bank also indicated plans to expand this option to include additional banking services in the future.

To ensure accurate identification, customers are advised to take a photo in a well-lit area with a neutral background, keeping the phone upright in portrait mode approximately 30 centimeters from their face, and ensuring nothing obscures their facial features.

The new feature is available to AIB customers over the age of 16 who are residents of the Republic of Ireland. While Selfie Check aims to make mobile banking more convenient, AIB advises customers who use internet banking to keep their card readers accessible, as they may still be required for certain transactions.

AIB has a relatively long history of employing biometric authentication systems in efforts to reduce fraud. Back in 2018, it announced the implementation of Nuance Communications’ voice recognition technology for customer authentication.

With that system, registered customers were able to authenticate their identities using the passphrase, “My voice is my password,” eliminating the need for traditional security questions and reducing friction in customer interactions.

The Bank of Ireland, meanwhile, recently announced a significant €34 million investment to revamp its call center operations, with a key focus on implementing voice biometrics for customer authentication.

Source: Irish Independent

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September 23, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith