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Small and Midsize Business Lending Fraud Rises Over the Past Year, with Lenders Anticipating Further Increases in the Year Ahead

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According to a LexisNexis Risk Solutions Study, Digital Channels See Biggest Increase in SMB Lending Fraud 

ATLANTA, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Small and medium-sized business (SMB) lending fraud has increased by a double-digit percentage year over year, with most lenders expecting fraud levels to continue to increase in the coming months, as revealed by the latest edition of the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Small and Midsize Business Lending Fraud Study. Overall, more than 80% of respondents said that SMB lending fraud has risen by nearly 14% over the last year, even as lenders are less willing to issue new credit.

SMB lending fraud is increasing at consistent rates but is gradually moving away from the influence of the pandemic. Notably, SMB lending fraud is typically caught within the first month of a new customer relationship.

Organizations recognize that reducing SMB lending fraud can lead to increased revenues and improved customer loyalty. With most fraud losses attributed to digital channels, 70% of organizations have adjusted their strategies for detecting and mitigating fraud. This shift highlights a proactive approach within the industry, with many lenders tightening their mobile and online transaction policies. While smaller banks and credit unions are balancing their policies, larger institutions are adopting stricter measures.

Key Findings on SMB Lending Fraud

Top Methods of Fraudsters: In the period surveyed, stolen legitimate business identity and stolen consumer/owner identity have emerged as the most common type of SMB lending fraud, making detection particularly challenging. Recognizing that reducing SMB lending fraud can lead to increased revenues and improved customer loyalty, organizations are enhancing their detection capabilities. However, balancing fraud detection with minimizing customer friction remains a key concern.Shift to Tech-Driven Fraud Prevention: There is an anticipated shift from labor-centric to tech-driven fraud prevention as companies face a recurring challenge in managing and mitigating fraud risks. SMB lending fraud is a shared concern across industries, with most companies anticipating overall losses between 6% and 10%. About 17% of these losses are due to efforts to reduce friction in approval processes.Increase in Proactive Fraud Prevention: Businesses are enhancing their fraud prevention efforts by integrating advanced identity solutions like behavioral biometrics, geolocation and real-time transaction scoring to bolster their anti-fraud initiatives. Fintech/digital Lenders have shown remarkable improvement in this area.

“Though the perception exists that SMBs have complex structures, our annual study shows that lenders employing a multi-layered solutions approach, integrated with cybersecurity and digital channel operations, experience more positive outcomes when lending to small businesses,” said Tom Hunt, director, business risk strategy, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “These include reduced fraud losses as a percentage of annual revenue and a slower rate of increase in SMB lending fraud.”

Top Four Recommendations for Preventing SMB Lending Fraud

Enhance Identity Proofing: Identity proofing encompasses both verification and authentication processes. While verification is a critical step, it may not be sufficient on its own to detect sophisticated fraud attempts. Authentication solutions offer a more dynamic and advanced approach to fraud detection and prevention, especially in remote channel applications where the risk of fraud is higher. Additionally, businesses need advanced fraud detection systems beyond manual methods. Utilizing technology is essential for effectively identifying and addressing fraud while minimizing inconvenience to customers.Adopt a Multi-Layered Approach: Businesses should implement a multi-layered approach to authentication by combining different solutions to address unique risks from different channels, payment methods and products. This approach should integrate cybersecurity with fraud prevention efforts and employ advanced solutions like OTP/two-factor authentication, biometrics and behavioral biometrics. Focus on Early-Stage Fraud Detection: New account opening is a crucial stage in the customer journey as well as fraud assessment at the point of origination. Maintaining robust screening solutions while managing the right amount of friction is key. This includes checks for fake or suspicious identification numbers, such as Social Security Numbers (SSN) and Tax Identification Numbers (TIN). A significant portion of fraud cases are identifiable and then prevented by enhancing the screening process.Share Intelligence: Businesses should leverage the power of collective intelligence through consortiums and digital identity networks. By participating in a consortium, companies can share valuable data, creating a peer-based intelligence layer that allows them to gain greater context, secure their digital channels against cybercriminal networks and make smarter, real-time risk decisions.

Methodology
The study surveyed 135 individuals working at banks, credit unions, fintech/digital lenders and payment processors with responsibility for risk and fraud assessments or decisions for SMB customers. SMBs are businesses earning up to $10 million annually. The study set out to better understand SMB lending fraud, specifically its volume, how institutions identify and track fraud, the types of fraud experienced, what institutions are doing to combat fraud and whether there are differences in SMB lending fraud based on the size or type of organization.

Download the latest LexisNexis Risk Solutions Small and Mid-Sized Business (SMB) Lending Fraud Study.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data, sophisticated analytics platforms and technology solutions to provide insights that help businesses across multiple industries and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit LexisNexis Risk Solutions and RELX.

Media Contact:
Marcy Theobald
678.860.3639
marcy.theobald@lexisnexisrisk.com             

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SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions

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Positive Perception of Term “All-Electric Home” Increases 12 Percentage Points in Recent Years, E Source Survey Finds

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November 14, 2024

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Research from the utilities-focused research, consulting, and data science company shows positive shift in homeowner perceptions of electrification technologies, though cost remains a barrier to fuel-switching. 

BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — E Source, a utilities-focused consulting, research, and data science company, has shared the results of its 2024 Residential Electrification Survey, including a shift in consumer attitudes toward electrification technologies in residential settings. The independent study, first conducted in 2021, fielded in April 2024 with over 10,000 residential homeowner utility customers in the United States and Canada.  

Designed and administered by the E Source Market Research team, the survey offers findings around: 

Consumer perceptions of electrification technologies: Over three-quarters of respondents believe that electricity is a safer home and appliance fuel source than natural gas, an increase from 2021. Despite shifting perceptions, cost remains a barrier to fuel-switching.Current ownership of electrification equipment: More respondents say they own electric equipment in 2024 compared to 2021, with electric cooktops and smart thermostats reported as the most common electric appliances.Readiness for adoption: While many respondents said they were unlikely to switch fuel sources for most home equipment, 27% expressed interest in taking steps to electrify all their appliances.

In other notable findings, positive perception of the term “all-electric home” increased from 40% in 2021 to 51% in 2024. Additionally, over one-third of respondents would prefer homes with only electric appliances when choosing their next residence, with 63% stating that gas appliances contribute to indoor air pollution, an increase from 51% in 2021.  

However, despite the growing interest in electrification, cost remains the largest barrier to fuel-switching, with 76% of respondents believing that switching fuel sources of any kind in their home appliances would be costly. 

Utilities today are navigating fast-paced technological advancements, transitioning to cleaner energy sources, managing tighter budgets, and looking to meet heightened customer expectations. A systematic and targeted approach to electrification is central to successfully addressing these challenges.

“Electrification holds tremendous potential along with risks. Utilities can realize that potential and mitigate the risks by understanding how to best engage their customers in the energy transition. With in-depth market research like our Residential Electrification Survey, utilities can understand perceptions of electrification to promote the value of new technologies based on customer needs, beliefs, and behaviors,” said Filomena Gogel, President of research and advisory at E Source.  

An overview of the insights is publicly available in a downloadable eBook here. Detailed findings are available in an industry report for members of the Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Strategy Service offered by E Source. 

About E Source 
E Source combines industry-leading research, data science, and consulting to help utilities make and implement better data-driven decisions that positively impact their customers, their bottom line, and our planet. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, E Source has teams across the US and Canada. Learn more at www.esource.com.

Media Contact:  
Adarsh Nalam, Director, Solutions Marketing and Communications  
adarsh_nalam@esource.com

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SOURCE E Source Companies LLC

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Ironclad Launches Jurist: an AI-Powered Assistant That Shows its Work

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37 minutes ago

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November 14, 2024

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The conversational AI assistant utilizes purpose-built multi-agent technology that works together to automate legal work, giving legal professionals a singular place to work with all the right tools and information in one seamless experience

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ironclad, the leading digital contracting platform for modern businesses, today announced the public launch of a new conversational AI legal assistant, Ironclad Jurist. Jurist allows legal professionals to draft, edit, review, summarize, translate, and answer questions related to modern contracting. Jurist is the only AI-powered assistant purpose-built for lawyers that lets users create and iterate on any legal document with past company precedent, benchmarks, and real-time changes in the legal space—all in an online, fully editable .docx workspace.

Jurist, built on Ironclad’s open-source visual programming platform Rivet, offers users unprecedented transparency into AI decision-making within a contract by displaying agent actions and reasoning, complete with citations in its online research mode. Leveraging industry-leading prompt routing, specialized legal prompt engineering, and a sophisticated retrieval automation generation (RAG) approach that harnesses multiple top-tier LLMs, Jurist is transforming the landscape of AI-assisted legal work.

“Jurist has already eliminated hours of manual review from our document review process. Its intuitive interface lets us easily define our own parameters, transforming tasks like NDA reviews into a streamlined workflow,” said Katelyn Canning, Director and Head of Legal at Ocrolus. “What truly sets it apart is its ability to select the most appropriate AI model for each task behind the scenes, delivering useful results without requiring us to craft intricate prompts. This combination of power and simplicity has made it an indispensable tool for our legal team.”

After a rigorous five-month beta, which included in-house legal teams at companies like Ocrolus and Signifyd, and leading law firms including Gunderson Dettmer, Jurist is now generally available. With Ironclad Jurist, users can:

Perform legal work in one central place: Jurist provides a new surface for lawyers to work with, iterate, draft, edit, research, and ask questions, all within a single environment. Users can directly edit AI outputs—and write prompts for specific sections of documents to fine-tune contract language—in a native .docx editor.Personalize AI outputs with past documents: Jurist produces personalized drafts, reviews, and edits based on the context users provide, including templates and executed agreements.Access the latest legal knowledge from verified online sources: Users can stay current with the ever-evolving legal landscape from the most reputable online legal research sources.Verify actions taken by your team of agents: Jurist explains its decisions in real time and cites sources when answering prompts, empowering users to use what they create with confidence.Work in a responsible, privacy-forward environment: Jurist does not allow companies like OpenAI or Google to retain or train on customer data. Ironclad provides customers with complete enterprise-grade security and holds numerous certifications, including several ISOs. Ironclad is also compliant with GDPR, HIPAA, and the SOC 2 Type II Security Trust Criteria. To learn more about Ironclad’s security certifications, click here.

“Legal is the perfect application for LLMs, because LLMs are exceptionally good at working with unstructured data – which is the lion’s share of the types of documents lawyers work with,” said Ironclad Chief Product Officer Michel Feaster. “We built Jurist to help bridge this gap, and wanted to create something that was congruent with the ways that lawyers are already working. Lawyers need to be able to edit in real-time in one place, or be able to ask questions about specific parts of a contract, or compare and edit groups of documents at the same time. And because Ironclad has been building technology for lawyers and optimizing contracts for 10 years, our AI agents are fine tuned to be best in class at legal editing.”

“Using Jurist has helped give us a singular workplace to drastically speed up many kinds of legal work,” said Zuhair Saadat, Contracts Manager at Signifyd. “For example, performing an MNDA review or drafting custom clauses for an order form typically takes an hour to a day. Using Jurist, we could do this in minutes—in some cases seconds—depending on complexity. If I need to edit the output, translate it, or ask a question about it, I can do that right in the product without leaving. It reduces time spent on these kinds of tasks, saves money on attorney fees, and gives me a leg up. Whatever I’m doing, I never have to start from scratch.”

“We’ve released Jurist as a standalone product, built on Ironclad architecture, because we feel this will benefit the entire legal community—whether they already use Ironclad or not,” said Ironclad President Jeremy Smith. “We are committed to enabling legal teams with the products they need to drive tangible business impact, and we believe Jurist will make a lasting impact on the future of the legal field.”

To learn more about Jurist and try it for yourself, click here.

About Ironclad
Ironclad is the #1 contract lifecycle management platform for innovative companies, powering billions of contracts every year. L’Oréal, OpenAI, and other leading innovators use Ironclad to collaborate and negotiate on contracts, accelerate contracting while maintaining compliance, and turn contracts into critical carriers of operational business intelligence. It’s the only platform flexible enough to handle every type of contract workflow, whether a sales agreement, an HR agreement or a complex NDA. The company is backed by leading investors like Accel, Sequoia, Franklin Templeton, Y Combinator, and BOND. For more information, visit www.ironcladapp.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Media Contact:
Paul Chalker
paul.chalker@ironcladhq.com

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SOURCE Ironclad Inc.

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Tom Atchison Honored as a Most Admired CEO by Denver Business Journal

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November 14, 2024

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GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — National Corporate Housing is thrilled to announce that Tom Atchison, our esteemed Founder and Chief Executive Officer, has been honored with the Most Admired CEO Award by the Denver Business Journal. This prestigious award recognizes leaders in the Denver area who demonstrate exceptional leadership, vision, and community impact within their industries and beyond.

Under Tom’s visionary leadership, National Corporate Housing has achieved significant growth and success while maintaining a strong commitment to ethical business practices and a people-first culture. He has fostered an environment that prioritizes employee development, customer satisfaction, and industry-leading service.

“Tom exemplifies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, and Surprisingly Superior Service,” said Misty Gregarek, President of National Corporate Housing. “Part of what makes National so special is Tom’s incredible talent for identifying potential in people and providing them opportunities to excel. This recognition is a testament to his unwavering dedication to our company’s mission and to making a positive impact on our employees, customers, and the community.”

Tom was recognized along with 20 other executives Wednesday night at an award dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Denver. We congratulate Tom on this well-deserved honor and look forward to continued success under his exceptional leadership.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Heidi Hume, Vice President, Marketing
703-727-9124 | hhume@nationalcorporatehousing.com

About National Corporate Housing: At National, we turn complex temporary housing challenges into seamless solutions. As a global leader in customized corporate housing since 1999, we provide personalized, 360-degree services that ensure your employees feel at home, wherever they are in the world. With our extensive network and local expertise, we make the unfamiliar comfortable, delivering exceptional experiences that transform clients into lifelong partners.

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SOURCE NATIONAL CORPORATE HOUSING

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