Independent Study Validates Strong Consumer Confidence and Demand for Finsphere Card Protection Solution That Improves Verification and Security of Credit and Debit Card Transactions

BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Finsphere Corporation, a leading provider of identity authentication analytics, announced today the results of an independent nationwide study where respondents resoundingly showed interest in the company's card protection solution offered to financial institutions and jointly through wireless carriers.  Finsphere's patented analytics platform utilizes comprehensive mobile information as an additional, potent layer of security to more reliably authenticate credit and debit card transactions. 

Nearly three quarters of the study's respondents were highly attracted to Finsphere's card protection service that utilizes information from their mobile phone to help prevent fraud.  Ease of use, added security, and quicker detection of fraud were cited as powerful incentives to sign up for or switch altogether to card providers offering the service.

The quantitative online study, designed and conducted by leading market researcher Penn Schoen Berland, targeted debit and/or credit card holders in the US who own a mobile phone and who travel more than 100 miles from home at least once per year.

Key results from the proprietary study showed:

• Nearly 75% of respondents indicate they would sign up for a debit or credit card featuring the security protection solution if offered by their financial institution
• Roughly half of respondents indicate they would use their card more often if it had the card protection service, and two-thirds indicated that the service would make them more confident in using their credit or debit card overall
• 1 in 5 respondents surveyed would consider switching from their existing card provider to use the card protection solution
• Respondent concern about credit/debit card fraud in high-risk situations also drops significantly once shown the concept
• Peace of mind and increased confidence in their financial institution and/or wireless carrier were benefits highly correlated with the appeal of the card protection solution
• More than half of respondents would be more likely to use their new card if a solution were provided jointly with their wireless carrier

"We were thrilled with the results of this study as they clearly attest to the intense appeal for identity authentication services like the solutions Finsphere provides today to major financial service organizations in the US and the UK.  A comparable survey conducted in the UK by Penn Schoen Berland earlier this year further reinforces this," said Mike Buhrmann, CEO of Finsphere.  "As the only provider of patented analytics-based mobile-as-identity solutions for financial, consumer and e-commerce applications, Finsphere holds a unique position as mobile operators continue to increase their investments in big data analytics to provide value added services to their enterprise customers."

With the rate of debit and credit card fraud in the US amongst the highest around the world, the study underscores consumers increased concern and awareness of the dangers of card fraud and the demand for financial institutions to provide a reliable solution.  Study results strongly affirmed that consumers would have more confidence using their debit or credit card if their financial institution offered a card protection solution like Finsphere's.   With nearly 200 million debit card holders and 160 million credit card holders in the US alone, the study exposes a clear opportunity for financial institutions to attract and retain customers by providing the Finsphere card security solution. 

Results from the proprietary US study are available from Finsphere.

About Finsphere Corporation
Based in Bellevue, Washington, Finsphere was founded in 2007 to enable wireless carriers and enterprises to help protect their customers through identity authentication services. Finsphere utilizes sophisticated analytic platforms and applications, protected by US and international patents, for non-intrusive, privacy enhancing services to authenticate transactions across all industry segments. Finsphere is a privately held corporation whose major investors include Vodafone Ventures, Mohr Davidow, Shasta Ventures and Frazier Technology Ventures.  For more information, visit www.finsphere.com.

About Penn Schoen Berland 
Penn Schoen Berland, a unit of WPP, is a global research-based consultancy that specializes in messaging and communications strategy for blue-chip political, corporate, and entertainment clients. PSB has over 30 years of experience in leveraging unique insights about consumer opinion to provide clients with a competitive advantage – what it calls Winning Knowledge. PSB executes polling and message testing services for Fortune 100 companies and has helped elect more than 30 presidents and prime ministers around the world. More information is available at www.psbresearch.com.

SOURCE Finsphere Corporation