Fraud

Fraud is available on the Enterprise plan.

With Fraud, you can detect GPS spoofing, proxy and VPN usage, and device tampering.

Along with Regions, you can also detect a user's country and state and mark specific regions as allowed or denied to comply with regulations.

Together, Fraud and Regions provide the following user context:

{  "fraud": {    "verified": true,    "passed": false,    "bypassed": false,    "blocked": false,    "mocked": true,    "jumped": false,    "compromised": false,    "inaccurate": false,    "proxy": false,    "sharing": false,    "lastMockedAt": "2023-07-27T17:18:28.536Z",    "lastJumpedAt": "2023-07-27T17:18:28.536Z",    "lastCompromisedAt": null,    "lastInaccurateAt": null,    "lastProxyAt": null,    "lastSharingAt": null  },  "country": {    "code": "US",    "name": "United States",    "flag": "🇺🇸",    "passed": true,    "allowed": true  },  "state": {    "code": "NJ",    "name": "New Jersey",    "passed": true,    "allowed": true,    "distanceToBorder": 1092,    "inBufferZone": false,    "inExclusionZone": false  }}

Quickstart

First, sign up for Radar and get an API key.

Then, enable Fraud on the Settings page.

From there, integrate the SDK, complete the steps below, and call Radar.trackVerified() or Radar.startTrackingVerified(). Radar will perform fraud and jurisdiction checks as described below.

How it works

You can call Radar.trackOnce() to accurately detect a user's current geofences, current place, or current country and state.

However, users can spoof a device's location. For example, a gaming app user may spoof their location to access sports betting features only available in specific states. Or, a retail app user may spoof their location to access offers only available inside a store geofence.

To ensure you can trust a user's location, you can call Radar.trackVerified() instead. Radar will collect a variety of fraud signals and perform fraud and jurisdiction checks, calculating flags and a signed geolocation token that you can use for fraud detection and geo-compliance in your app.

Fraud flags

If fraud detection is enabled, Radar exposes the following flags in user.fraud:

• mocked: Indicates whether a user's location is being mocked, such as in a simulator or using a location spoofing app (e.g., Fake GPS location).
• jumped: Indicates whether the user moved too far too fast (e.g., "jumped" across the country in only a few seconds).
• compromised: Indicates whether the user's device or app has been compromised (e.g., rooted, jailbroken) according to the Play Integrity API on Android or App Attest service on iOS.
• inaccurate: Indicates whether the user's location accuracy is too low to pass verification.
• sharing: Indicates whether the user is using screen sharing or remote desktop software (e.g., using TeamViewer).
• proxy: Indicates whether the user's IP address is a known proxy or VPN.
• verified: Indicates whether the request was made with Radar.trackVerified().

While you can work with individual flags, Radar also exposes a single user.fraud.passed flag that indicates whether all fraud checks passed.

Additionally, the lastMockedAt, lastJumpedAt, lastCompromisedAt, lastInaccurateAt, lastProxyAt, and lastSharingAt timestamps indicate the last time that the user failed each fraud check.

Bypassing checks for testing

If desired, you can bypass fraud checks for individual users using the Mark as Bypassed button on the user detail page.

If a user is marked as bypassed, user.fraud.bypassed = true and user.fraud.passed = true, regardless of whether the user passes fraud checks.

Blocking users

You can also manually block a user using the Mark as Blocked button on the user detail page.

If a user is blocked, user.fraud.blocked = true and user.fraud.passed = false, regardless of whether the user passes fraud checks.

Allowed states and countries

With Regions, you can mark specific countries or states as allowed or denied to comply with regulations. For example, a sportsbook or daily fantasy sports app may only be allowed to operate in specific US states.

Radar exposes your settings in user.country.allowed and user.state.allowed.

Additionally, you can enable buffer zones and exclusion zones for different states. If buffer zones and exclusion zones are enabled, user.state.inBufferZone and user.state.inExclusionZone indicates whether the user is within a buffer zone or exclusion zone.

While you can work with individual flags, Radar also exposes user.state.passed and user.country.passed flags that indicate whether all jurisdiction checks passed.

Contact your customer success manager for access to buffer zones and exclusion zones.

Platform-specific configuration

Android

Initialize SDK

To support the sharing flag on Android, pass fraud = true to Radar.initialize().

Radar.initialize(  context = this,  publishableKey = "prj_test_pk...",  fraud = true)

Play Integrity API

To support the compromised flag on Android, enable the Play Integrity API on the Settings page.

If the user's device or app does not meet basic integrity checks, user.fraud.compromised = true.

You must add the Play Integrity API dependency before calling Radar.trackVerified().

Add the dependency to the dependencies section of your app's build.gradle file:

dependencies {    implementation 'com.google.android.play:integrity:1.2.0'}

If Radar.trackVerified() returns ERROR_FORBIDDEN, check the logs. The Play Services version on the device may be out of date.

SSL pinning

To enable SSL pinning and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, add a res/xml/network_security_config.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><network-security-config>    <!-- for React Native -->    <domain-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">        <domain includeSubdomains="true">localhost</domain>    </domain-config>
    <!-- for SSL pinning -->    <domain-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="false">        <domain includeSubdomains="true">api-verified.radar.io</domain>        <pin-set>            <pin digest="SHA-256">15ktYXSSU2llpy7YyCgeqUKDBkjcimK/weUcec960sI=</pin>            <pin digest="SHA-256">15ktYXSSU2llpy7YyCgeqUKDBkjcimK/weUcec960sI=</pin>        </pin-set>    </domain-config></network-security-config>

Learn more about Network Security Configuration on Android.

iOS

App Attest

To support the compromised flag on iOS, enable App Attest and configure a list of valid App IDs (e.g., A1B2C3D4E5.com.yourapp.app1,A1B2C3D4E5.com.yourapp.app2) on the Settings page.

If App Attest indicates that the user's device or app has been compromised, user.fraud.compromised = true.

App Attest requires iOS 14 and above. If Radar.trackVerified() returns ERROR_FORBIDDEN, check the logs. The iOS version on the device may not support App Attest.

SSL pinning

To enable SSL pinning and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, add the following to your Info.plist file:

<key>NSAppTransportSecurity</key><dict>    <key>NSAllowsArbitraryLoads</key>    <false/>    <key>NSPinnedDomains</key>    <dict>        <key>api-verified.radar.io</key>        <dict>            <key>NSIncludesSubdomains</key>            <true/>            <key>NSPinnedLeafIdentities</key>            <array>                <dict>                    <key>SPKI-SHA256-BASE64</key>                    <string>15ktYXSSU2llpy7YyCgeqUKDBkjcimK/weUcec960sI=</string>                </dict>                <dict>                    <key>SPKI-SHA256-BASE64</key>                    <string>15ktYXSSU2llpy7YyCgeqUKDBkjcimK/weUcec960sI=</string>                </dict>            </array>        </dict>    </dict></dict>

Learn more about SSL pinning on iOS.

Web and desktop

The web SDK supports the mocked, proxy, and jumped flags with Radar.trackOnce().

On desktop, if the end user installs the Radar Verify Mac app or Radar Verify Windows app, the web SDK also supports the sharing flag and more advanced mocked and proxy detection with Radar.trackVerified(). If Radar.trackVerified() returns ERROR_DESKTOP_APP, it means the Radar Verify app is not running.

Contact your customer success manager to learn how you can customize the Radar Verify app installer or branding.

Verifying user locations

Once the above configuration is complete, you can verify a user's location with just a few lines of code.

Choose your implementation pattern depending on your use cases:

• Less regulated gaming use cases and non-gaming use cases should generally choose Manual location checks, either basic or advanced.
• Sportsbook and iGaming use cases subject to strict regulatory requirements should generally choose Automatic location checks with caching.

Manual location checks

Advanced fraud checks

For more advanced checks, call Radar.trackVerified(). This requires you to follow the Platform-specific configuration steps above and use the desktop app on web.

Radar.trackVerified() returns a RadarVerifiedLocationToken with:

• passed: A boolean indicating whether the user passed all fraud and jurisdiction checks (user.fraud.passed && user.country.passed && user.state.passed)
• token: A tamper-proof JSON Web Token (JWT) that you can send to your server to validate the signature, signed with the JSON Web Token (JWT) Secret Key found under Fraud on the Settings page.
• expiresAt: The datetime when the token expires, by default in 20 minutes, but earlier when close to the border (e.g., 1 minute within 1 mile of the border in New Jersey).
• expiresIn: The number of seconds until the token expires.
• user: The user, with detailed information in user.fraud, user.country, and user.state.
• events: The events generated, if any.

Swift

Radar.trackVerified { (status, token) in  if token?.passed == true {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}

Kotlin

Radar.trackVerified { status, token ->  if (token?.passed == true) {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}

Web

Radar.trackVerified().then((result) => {  const { user, token, expiresIn, passed } = result;  if (passed) {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});

React Native

Radar.trackVerified().then((result) => {  const { token } = result;  if (token?.passed) {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});

Capacitor

// standard callbackRadar.trackVerified().then((result) => {  const { user } = result;  if (user?.fraud?.passed && user?.country?.allowed && user?.state?.allowed) {    // allow access to feature  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});
// token callbackRadar.trackVerifiedToken().then((result) => {  const { token } = result;  // send token to server}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});

Flutter

// standard callbackvar res = await Radar.trackVerified();// do something with res['status'], res['location'], res['events'], res['user']
// token callbackvar res = await Radar.trackVerifiedToken();// do something with res['status'], res['token']

Maui

// standard callbackvar (status, location, events, user) = await Radar.TrackVerified();
// token callbackvar (status, token) = await Radar.TrackVerifiedToken();

You can send the JWT to your server and validate the signature using a JWT library. For example, in JavaScript:

const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
try {  const decoded = jwt.verify(token, SECRET_KEY);  const { user } = decoded;  // token is valid, check user.fraud, user.state, user.country to allow or deny access to feature} catch (err) {  // token is invalid, deny access to feature, show error message}

Basic fraud checks

For more basic fraud checks, call Radar.trackOnce() instead of Radar.trackVerified(). The callback will return a user instead of a token. See Foreground tracking on iOS or Foreground tracking on Android.

Swift

Radar.trackOnce { (status, location, events, user) in  if user?.fraud?.passed == true &&    user?.country?.allowed == true &&    user?.state?.allowed == true {    // allow access to feature  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}

Kotlin

Radar.trackOnce { status, location, events, user ->  if (user?.fraud?.passed == true &&    user.country?.allowed == true &&    user.state?.allowed == true) {    // allow access to feature  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}

Web

Radar.trackOnce({ fraud: true }).then((result) => {  const { user } = result;  if (user.fraud.passed && user.country.allowed && user.state.allowed) {    // allow access to feature  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});

React Native

Radar.trackOnce().then((result) => {  const { user } = result;  if (user?.fraud?.passed && user?.country?.allowed && user?.state?.allowed) {    // allow access to feature  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});

Capacitor

Radar.trackOnce().then((result) => {  const { user } = result;  if (user?.fraud?.passed && user?.country?.allowed && user?.state?.allowed) {    // allow access to feature  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});

Flutter

var res = await Radar.trackOnce();// do something with res['status'], res['location'], res['events'], res['user']

Maui

var (status, _, _, user) = await Radar.TrackOnce();if (status == RadarStatus.Success && user.Fraud.Passed && user.Country.Allowed && user.State.Allowed){    // allow access to feature}else{    // deny access to feature, show error message}

Automatic location checks with caching

You can also call Radar.startTrackingVerified() to fetch and cache location tokens in the background automatically on connection changes, on the specified interval, or more frequently if token.expiresIn < interval (based on current state, distance to border, and so on).

Instead of calling Radar.trackVerified(), which always fetches a fresh location token, you can instead call Radar.getVerifiedLocationToken(), which returns a cached location token immediately if the last location token is still valid, or fetches a fresh location token if not.

If you set a delegate on iOS with Radar.setVerifiedDelegate() or a receiver on Android with Radar.setVerifiedReceiver(), fresh location tokens are also delivered to RadarVerifiedDelegate.didUpdateToken() and RadarVerifiedReceiver.onTokenUpdated(), respectively.

For example, to automatically verify the user's location at least every 20 minutes (1200 seconds), without ranging beacons:

Swift

Radar.setVerifiedDelegate(delegate)
Radar.startTrackingVerified(interval: 1200, beacons: false)
// get a cached token if available, or fetch a fresh token if notRadar.getVerifiedLocationToken { (status, token) in  if token?.passed == true {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}
// delivers fresh tokens to RadarVerifiedDelegatefunc didUpdateToken(_ token: RadarVerifiedLocationToken) {  // send token to server}

Kotlin

Radar.setVerifiedReceiver(receiver)
Radar.startTrackingVerified(interval = 1200, beacons = false)
// get a cached token if available, or fetch a fresh token if notRadar.getVerifiedLocationToken { (status, token) in  if (token?.passed == true) {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}
// delivers fresh tokens to RadarVerifiedReceiveroverride fun onTokenUpdated(context: Context, token: RadarVerifiedLocationToken) {  // send token to server}

React Native

Radar.startTrackingVerified({  interval: 1200,  beacons: false,});
// get a cached token if available, or fetch a fresh token if notRadar.getVerifiedLocationToken().then((result) => {  const { token } = result;  if (token?.passed) {    // allow access to feature, send token to server  } else {    // deny access to feature, show error message  }}).catch((err) => {  // deny access to feature, show error message});
// delivers fresh tokens to listenerRadar.on('token', (result) => {  const { token } = result;  // send token to server});

Capacitor

Radar.addListener('token', (result) => {  const { token } = result;  // send token to server});
Radar.startTrackingVerified({  token: true,  interval: 1200,  beacons: false,});

Maui

Radar.TokenUpdated += (token) => {  // send token to server};
Radar.StartTrackingVerified(true, 1200, false);

User and device risk scores

You can use risk scores to identify high risk users and devices. Risk scores are based on a "strikes" system:

• No strikes = no risk
• 1 strike = low risk
• 2 strikes = medium risk
• 3 strikes = high risk

Users and device receive strikes for the following fraud signals within a lookback period, by default the last 90 days:

• mocked flag: 2 strikes
• jumped, compromised, sharing, and proxy flags: 1 strike
• More than 5 user IDs per device ID: 1 strike
• More than 5 device IDs per user ID: 1 strike

When the risk score changes for a user or device, it also changes for all associated users and devices (i.e., all users associated with that device ID, or all device IDs associated with that user).

The fraud signals, number of strikes per fraud signal, and lookback period are configurable.

To receive real-time email alerts when users reach high risk, and to receive a weekly report with high risk users, set a Notification email under Fraud on the Settings page.

You can also automatically block high risk users.

Contact your customer success manager for access to user and device risk scores, or to automatically block high risk users.

Error handling

On errors or failed fraud checks, you may want to display a message to the end user. For example:

• On ERROR_PERMISSIONS: Unable to determine your location. Please make sure you've granted location permissions and try again.
• On ERROR_LOCATION: Unable to determine your location. Please make sure location services and wi-fi are enabled and try again.
• On ERROR_NETWORK: Unable to determine your location. Please make sure you're connected to the Internet and try again.
• On country.allowed == false or state.allowed == false: Unable to verify your location. Please make sure you're in an allowed area and try again.
• On fraud.proxy == true: Unable to verify your location. Please disconnect from any VPNs or proxy servers you may be using and try again.
• On other error cases, or as a fallback: Unable to verify your location. Please contact support.