Let's face it. Networks are everywhere. From cellular networks to Wi-Fi, cloud computing and social media, networks have changed how we work, consume information, and communicate. Over the last decade, the combination of smartphones, apps and networks has accelerated this evolution and even changed how we pay and get paid. 

That was just the beginning of the transformation yet to come – the transition from an app economy to one in which connected networks combine buying experiences and enable transactions across channels, devices, and environments. 

While these connected networks give consumers the flexibility to interact and transact with anyone from around the world, it also challenges companies like Early Warning to help ensure consumers know and trust who they are dealing with online. 

Early Warning's Networks 

Fortunately for Early Warning, we're no stranger to a good network. Over thirty years ago, we brought a network of financial institutions together to contribute data in a way that enabled Early Warning to help secure the financial services industry. We serve a diverse network of over 3,500 financial institutions (FIs), government entities and payment companies. Data contributed by each of these institutions is used to prevent, detect, and deter fraud. 

Next came the Zelle Network®. In 2017 Early Warning launched Zelle® with a vision to bring fast, safe and easy payments to banks and credit unions of all sizes across the country. Today we have more than 2,000 financial institutions who have signed to participate in the network and we're just getting started. 

And now, in 2022, we're launching the next big thing in identity, you guessed it, another network! We're pulling together a network of identity data providers and relying parties to make it easy for consumers to get things done online. Authentify® makes it easy to create a new account, access services or verify your identity to get things done online by enabling consumers to allow their financial institution to share key information it already has on file about them. 

We're aggressively working to connect our various networks to help make transactions happen faster, more securely and with more confidence than ever before. The key, we believe, is to continue to strengthen our identity verification and risk mitigation networks to protect consumers, businesses and financial institutions from losses associated with fraud and scams. 

Networks Combine to Create a Powerful Synergy 

As these networks increase in sophistication and work together, Early Warning can deliver high assurance and real-time identity confidence for both sides of commerce transactions, enabling Zelle® to become the most trusted payment method of commerce. Best of all, money can move faster and more securely. 

To learn more about how we're connecting the dots from financial institutions, merchants and consumers to support the speed and security of real-time payments, be sure to view this panel discussion on PYMNTS.com with our own, Chris Davey, VP Business Line Leader – Risk Insights