When presented with an Australian phone number and an Australian mailing address, it can be easy to assume that you’re dealing with a client in Australia. Or so you’d think… Landmark Settlements, a leading settlement agency in Western Australia, recently experienced firsthand how Scantek’s Verification of Identity (VOI) solution not only added a layer of security to their processes but also acted as an alert system, flagging an important detail that otherwise might have gone unnoticed about their client’s location.
The Landmark team have over 45 years of combined industry experience, so they’ve seen almost everything there is to see when it comes to conveyancing transactions. In fact, the team’s commitment to security, transparency, and efficiency is one of the reasons why they average over $500 million in property settlements each year, with thousands of WA home buyers and sellers trusting them with their property transactions.
In this case study, we’ll look at a recent event that saw a concerning detail about one of their clients uncovered during the course of the VOI process.
Who: Landmark Settlements, committed to secure transactions
Founded in 2002, Landmark Settlements has established itself as one of WA’s most trusted names in property conveyancing. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Agency Group Australia Ltd, the team handles a vast array of property transactions across Western Australia. Leading the team is Landmark Settlements’ licensee, Shantelle Papas.
Since implementing Scantek’s VOI solution, Shantelle has found that it provides an additional layer of security that gives her team confidence in the verification process.
Not only does Scantek’s solution streamline the entire ID check experience for clients, but it also comes equipped with advanced geolocation features that can be a game-changer in verifying a client’s location.
What: The red flag that prompted Landmark to act
Recently, Landmark Settlements was handling a property settlement for a client who appeared, by all accounts, to be based in Australia. The client provided an Australian address and phone number, and both the conveyancer and real estate agent were under the impression that the client was residing in Australia. However, as Shantelle & her team would soon discover, this wasn’t quite the reality.
Shantelle’s conveyancer sent a Scantek VOI request to the client’s Australian phone number, as is standard protocol. Thanks to Scantek’s instant geolocation feature, which tracks the client’s geographical data during the verification process, Landmark was quickly alerted to something unexpected. Although the client had an Australian phone number and address, Scantek flagged their location as being in Mumbai, India.
This discrepancy immediately raised red flags for Shantelle and her team, prompting them to investigate further.
Where: Scantek’s Geo-Location feature
One of the powerful features of Scantek’s VOI solution is its geolocation capability. Unlike traditional VOI methods that rely on physical documents, Scantek’s digital platform provides additional metadata, including real-time geographical data on the client’s location at the time of verification. This feature enables conveyancers to confirm whether the client is where they say they are or if there are any discrepancies that warrant further investigation.
As Shantelle described, “We didn’t know they were overseas. The address and everything we had was for Australia. But when they completed their Scantek VOI, it pinged them in Mumbai. Obviously, it flagged us and said, ‘You need to check this.’”
Without this feature, Landmark Settlements might have unknowingly proceeded under the assumption that the client was in Australia, potentially leading to compliance risks and other complications.
How: Maintaining compliance and security
Upon contacting the client, Shantelle and her team learned that although the client had an Australian address and contact information, they had been residing overseas for several months. This detail was seemingly minor to the client, yet it had significant implications for their property transaction.
With clients located overseas subject to different verification and compliance requirements, Landmark Settlements had to adjust their procedures accordingly to remain compliant.
Had the client’s overseas location gone undiscovered, Landmark Settlements might have completed the transaction under non-compliant conditions, exposing the business to potential risks. With Scantek’s solution, however, the discrepancy was detected before any issues could arise, providing Landmark with the opportunity to apply the appropriate overseas client protocols and maintain compliance.
As Shantelle noted, “It was an absolute lifesaver. Without Scantek’s VOI system, we never would have known they were overseas, and that would have changed everything.”
Why: The importance of a comprehensive VOI solution
Landmark Settlements’ experience highlights the critical importance of a comprehensive VOI solution that goes beyond basic ID checks. With identity fraud and other risks ever-present in today’s property market, relying on traditional methods is no longer sufficient.
Scantek’s VOI solution provides conveyancers with multiple layers of security, from biometric facial recognition and liveness checks to geolocation data and online fraud indicators. This approach reduces the likelihood of fraudulent activity slipping through and ensures compliance with both industry regulations and client expectations.
When a client’s identity is verified with Scantek, conveyancers have confidence that:
- Their data is secure: Scantek’s platform encrypts all data and ensures that sensitive information is securely captured and stored.
- Compliance is upheld: By capturing real-time location data, Scantek’s VOI solution allows conveyancers to determine if additional compliance measures are needed for overseas clients.
- Potential fraud is minimised: With online fraud indicators, using Scantek’s digital VOI reduces the risk of fraudulent activities slipping through the cracks. Our fraud indicator checks include:
- Geo-location tracking, including providing a Google Maps interactive image of the location (not just longitude/latitude)
- Comparing the location provided by the user’s device to the location of the internet provider (IP address).
You can’t afford NOT to use Scantek’s VOI solution
Landmark Settlements’ experience is a reminder that digital tools like Scantek’s VOI solution provide a vital layer of security that can catch discrepancies before they become issues. For Shantelle and her team, the ability to detect the client’s overseas location was pivotal, preventing potential compliance issues and ensuring the transaction proceeded with the necessary safeguards in place.
As Shantelle aptly put it, Scantek “was an absolute lifesaver.”
For conveyancers across Australia, Scantek’s VOI solution offers the peace of mind needed, giving them security in the knowledge that every verification is thorough, compliant, and secure. Find out more and book a demo with our team.