What location accuracy does the API offer?

The API provides accuracy based on the mobile network (Cell ID), not GPS. This is generally sufficient for proximity verification with security radii of 2 km or more, effective for identifying the device's city or neighborhood.

Do I need explicit customer approval to obtain their location?

Yes. Use of the Device Location API must comply with strict privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Institutions must obtain explicit, traceable consent from the user for security and anti-fraud purposes.

What is the verification radius and how do I define it?

The verification radius is a proximity tolerance parameter (in meters or kilometers) defined in your query. For example, you might use 2 km for ATMs or 500 meters for retail stores based on your risk policy.

Does the API work if the device is on Wi-Fi?

Yes. As long as the device is registered on the mobile network, the API can query the cell ID from the operator, regardless of whether the user is browsing via Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Is the API useful for preventing fraud in pure online transactions?

Absolutely. It can verify if the mobile device location matches the provided shipping or billing address, and detect if a transaction is originating from high-risk or sensitive locations like prisons.

Device Location API

In the world of digital transactions, knowing where a customer can be just as important as knowing who they are. Plusmo's Device Location API is an advanced security tool that provides the location of a mobile device in real time, with critical precision for fraud prevention and logistics optimization.
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Our API allows you to execute specific queries about the device's proximity to a determined geographic point, making it an impenetrable defense against identity theft in physical and digital transactions.

Real-Time Geo-Verification: Proximity Fraud Detection and Control

Payment fraud and identity theft are often based on location discrepancy: the physical location where a payment is made (POS or ATM) does not match the location of the legitimate cardholder's mobile device.

Plusmo's Device Location API solves this problem by allowing you to ask the most important question at the moment of the transaction: Is the customer's mobile device actually near where the card or account is being used?

The Critical Case of Cloned Card Fraud

Scammers using cloned cards or stolen data exploit the lack of connection between the transaction location and the customer's location.

Fraud Scenario and the Plusmo Solution

Suspicious Payment

A scammer makes a withdrawal at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) or a Point-of-Sale (POS) payment using a cloned card or stolen data.

Risk Detection

The bank's system detects an unusual or high-risk location or payment pattern.

Location API Activation

The bank immediately performs a proximity verification through the Plusmo API.

Our API is designed to execute two fundamental types of queries that provide unmatched location intelligence:

Location Queries Types

1

Verification Query (Proximity)

This query is the most used for fraud prevention in transactions.

- Key Question: "Is the mobile device with MSISDN $+5491145388773$ within a 2 km radius of latitude $45.76944$ and longitude $4.925833$?"

-Utility: Verifies if the customer is physically present at the location of the ATM, POS, or online store, thereby validating the operation's legitimacy.

2

Retrieval Query (Absolute Location)

This query is vital for legal compliance, security, and risk management.

- Key Response: Provides the latitude, longitude, accuracy radius, and timestamp of the device's last known location.

- Utility: Allows verification of transactions or accesses made from sensitive or restricted locations (e.g., detecting transactions originating inside or near a prison).

The Geo-Verification-Based Decision Process

The API process is fast, accurate, and decisive:

Parameter Submission

The institution sends the query (MSISDN + Transaction Coordinates + Verification Radius).

Mobile Operator Query

The API connects with the mobile operator's infrastructure to obtain the most recent location of the associated device.

Binary Response

The operator sends a Yes (match) or No (no match) response, confirming whether the device is within the requested radius.

Fraud Rejection

The bank or institution reviews the response. If the response is No (the customer is not at the payment location), the operation is immediately rejected, frustrating the fraud.

The Geo-Verification-Based Decision Process

The API process is fast, accurate, and decisive:

Parameter Submission

The institution sends the query (MSISDN + Transaction Coordinates + Verification Radius).

Mobile Operator Query

The API connects with the mobile operator's infrastructure to obtain the most recent location of the associated device.

Binary Response

The operator sends a Yes (match) or No (no match) response, confirming whether the device is within the requested radius.

Fraud Rejection

The bank or institution reviews the response. If the response is No (the customer is not at the payment location), the operation is immediately rejected, frustrating the fraud.

Key Applications of the Device Location API

The accuracy of our API makes it indispensable in sectors where physical location is a risk or service factor.

1

Financial Services and Fintech

- ATM Security: Reduces cloned card fraud by verifying that the cardholder is near the ATM at the moment of withdrawal.

- High-Value In-App Payments: If a payment exceeds a limit, verify the mobile device's proximity to the shipping address or the physical location of the purchase

2

Logistics and Fleet Management

- Fleet Management: Track the location of mobile devices (e.g., driver phones or installed devices) within a time range to confirm compliance with routes and schedules.

- Delivery Verification: Confirm that the delivery person or service technician was at the customer's location at the reported time.

3

Emergency and Navigation Services

- Emergency Response Systems: Provide the fast and accurate location of the mobile device for security or medical assistance services (subject to local regulations and agreements).

- Security Geofencing: Use the retrieval query to verify if a device has exited or entered predefined geographical areas.

4

Onboarding and Compliance

- Regulatory Compliance (AML/KYC): Confirm that the location reported by a new customer during digital onboarding matches the location of their device at that moment, reducing the risk of synthetic or stolen identities.

Strategic Benefits of Integration with Plusmo

Maximum Anti-Fraud Accuracy

Proximity verification is almost impossible to spoof, offering a superior defense against card fraud and identity theft.

Compliance and Governance

Obtain the necessary location data to comply with geographical transaction regulations and internal risk policies.

Optimized Operations

Improve the efficiency of fleet management and dispatch systems by having reliable network location data.

Seamless User Experience

Proximity verification occurs without the customer having to do anything, maintaining security without adding cumbersome steps to the transaction.

FAQ’S

Device Location API

Real-Time Geo-Verification: Proximity Fraud Detection and Control

The Critical Case of Cloned Card Fraud

Location Queries Types

The Geo-Verification-Based Decision Process

The Geo-Verification-Based Decision Process

Key Applications of the Device Location API

Frequently Asked Questions