Experian & Resistant AI tackle document fraud in ANZ

Experian has partnered with Resistant AI to offer document fraud detection tools in Australia and New Zealand through its Ascend platform.

The move comes as organisations in both markets report growing difficulty spotting documents created or altered with generative artificial intelligence.

The arrangement will bring Resistant AI Documents to banks, lenders, insurers and other businesses that rely on digital onboarding and document-based identity checks. The product analyses PDFs, images and other files for signs of tampering or synthetic generation.

It targets a growing problem in financial services, where fraudsters are using readily available AI software and editing tools to manipulate bank statements, payslips, identity documents, invoices and insurance claim evidence. As a result, manual review is becoming less reliable as a first line of defence.

Research commissioned by Experian found that 59% of fraud decision-makers in Australia and 58% in New Zealand believe their existing Know Your Customer and identity verification checks are not equipped to detect AI-generated documents.

Australian regulators have also raised concerns. AUSTRAC recently warned that criminals are using AI to fabricate identities and forge documents, complicating efforts to identify illicit activity.

Growing pressure

The partnership builds on an earlier strategic investment by Experian in Resistant AI. By adding the document analysis tool to Ascend, Experian is broadening the range of fraud and identity checks available through its platform in the two markets.

Resistant AI said its data points to a rapidly expanding market for fraudulent templates and document generation tools. It has identified more than 300 document farms and generators, along with 350,000 templates for sale and more than 1,000 generator templates mimicking documents from issuers in more than 180 countries.

According to the companies, the software applies more than 500 forensic checks to documents and draws on insights from nearly 200 million files analysed globally. Experian said this can cut manual document reviews by more than 90% while helping organisations identify fraud that conventional checks might miss.

Richard Atkinson, Head of Fraud and Identity at Experian Australia and New Zealand, said, "Fraud is a global problem, and many of the patterns we see locally have already appeared in other markets first. That global visibility is one of the major strengths of Resistant AI and why we are so excited to be working with the team. Its technology is not only assessing local documents, but also learning from document fraud trends across markets, helping organisations monitor and respond to emerging fraud techniques."

The companies are positioning the product as part of the document verification layer used when customers open accounts, apply for credit or submit claims. In those processes, forged or altered documents can be used to support false identities, inflate income, disguise transaction history or justify fraudulent payouts.

Platform strategy

Experian's software business in Australia and New Zealand has been working to bring products and partner services from its wider international network into the local market. The addition of Resistant AI's tool reflects that approach by combining document checks with identity, fraud and decisioning systems already offered through Ascend.

Mathew Demetriou, Managing Director, Software Solutions at Experian Australia and New Zealand, said, "This partnership builds on Experian's 2025 strategic investment in Resistant AI, and brings its global document fraud intelligence to the A/NZ market. The partnership forms part of Experian Australia and New Zealand's broader strategy to bring global Experian capabilities and strategic partner solutions into the local market. By combining document intelligence with Experian's fraud, identity and decisioning capabilities through Experian's Ascend platform, organisations can gain a more comprehensive, integrated approach to fraud prevention, enabling them to detect risks earlier at onboarding and strengthen protection across the customer lifecycle."

The issue is not limited to one segment of financial services. Lenders, banks and insurers all rely on customer-submitted files to verify identity, assess affordability or validate claims, and each of those workflows has become a target for manipulation as digital channels expand.

For Resistant AI, the deal provides broader access to customers in two markets where concern over AI-assisted fraud is growing. The Prague-based company specialises in document fraud detection and transaction monitoring, with a focus on identifying anomalies that are not always visible in the document itself.

Martin Rehak, Chief Executive Officer at Resistant AI, said, "Document fraud has crossed a threshold. The same AI tools that are driving automation across financial services are now being used at scale to fabricate and manipulate documents, and traditional verification wasn't built for this. When the cost of committing document fraud drops to near zero, the only sustainable defence is intelligence at scale. Resistant AI has analysed nearly 200 million documents from every part of the world, and that global signal lets us identify emerging fraud patterns before they become endemic in any single market."

"Experian has deep expertise in credit risk, identity, fraud and decisioning across Australia and New Zealand. Together, we can help organisations detect document fraud earlier, reduce manual review and strengthen trust in digital onboarding."