Early Warning Sharpens Financial Fraud Intelligence with Certos^SM

Unified brand portfolio of products for financial institutions takes aim at synthetic and stolen identities and helps drive continued financial access
 

NEW YORK, NY — Early Warning Services LLC, the company behind Zelle® and the Paze® digital wallet, today announced the launch of Certos^SM, a unified brand portfolio of its fraud and identity risk solutions that help financial institutions stop fraud and expand financial access in the U.S.
banking system.

“As criminals grow more sophisticated, they are increasingly exploiting stolen or fabricated identities before any money moves,” said Ben Chance, general manager of Certos. “Certos equips financial institutions with collaborative solutions that help them identity synthetic or stolen identities at account opening, detect suspicious activity earlier, and prevent fraud.”

For more than 35 years, Early Warning has worked alongside banks, credit unions, law enforcement, and government agencies to stop billions of dollars in scams, fraudulent payments and financial crime. That work has included partnering with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Treasury, Federal Reserve, and state and local law enforcement agencies – helping prevent hundreds of thousands of improper payments and protect consumers, small businesses, and the broader financial system.

“Building on Early Warning’s proven scale, Certos brings together decades of trusted fraud prevention capabilities under a unified brand with a critical role in protecting financial trust and expanding financial inclusion,” said Andrea Gilman, chief marking officer of Early Warning. “As fraud evolves, Certos provides solutions that financial institutions incorporate into their existing payments and account opening processes, strengthening their ability to stop criminals while confidently serving more consumers.”

In 2025, the products now unified under Certos delivered protection for America’s consumers and small businesses, while continuing to help expand financial access:

• Screened over $11 trillion in payments for activity like counterfeit information and washed or altered checks
• Helped stop $3.7 billion in potential fraud
• Supported 100 million new bank and credit union account applications

By reducing unnecessary barriers – particularly for individuals with limited or nontraditional identity histories – Certos helps financial institutions expand access to essential banking services while reducing fraud risk.

Together, these capabilities help banks and credit unions expand access in the financial sector and extend protection across payment and account-opening ecosystems, reinforcing financial resilience and economic security across the U.S. banking system.
 

About Certos

Certos^SM is a unified portfolio of fraud and identity solutions that helps financial institutions detect synthetic or stolen identities at account opening, reducing fraud while expanding access to critical financial services. It is backed by Early Warning Services, LLC – the company behind Zelle® and the Paze® digital wallet – which has worked with financial institutions for 35-years to drive prosperity, deliver bold innovation and improve how payments are made. For more information, visit www.certos.com.
 

Media May Contact:

Eric Blankenbaker
Eric.Blankenbaker@earlywarning.com
929.745.0923