Device Status API

In today's hyperconnected world, a device's location and operational status are critical data points for assessing transaction risk. Plusmo's Device Status API provides you with a layer of geographic and operational intelligence that is fundamental for security and logistics.

Our API not only offers you the geographic location of a device within a specific time range but also reveals its operational status, allowing you to make informed, real-time risk decisions.

 Geographic Risk Detection: Fraud Risks Associated with Roaming

One of the strongest indicators of potentially fraudulent activity is geographic inconsistency. A scammer who has compromised an account in one country might attempt to access it or make a transaction from a distant location using roaming.

The Roaming and Onboarding Dilemma

The use of roaming in itself is not a fraudulent activity. However, in the context of high-risk operations such as opening new accounts (onboarding), significant bank transfers, or credential changes, roaming can be a red flag, especially if it originates from a country known for a high fraud index.

Risk Example: A new customer in a digital onboarding process registers with a local address, but the API detects that their mobile device is actively roaming in a distant country at the same moment. This suggests a possible identity theft or the use of stolen identities.

How Device Status API Works?

The Device Status API integrates securely and silently into your backend, performing a direct query with the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) to obtain the current connection status.

The Real-Time Verification Flow:

  • Critical Operation Detection: The customer initiates a high-risk operation, such as starting an onboarding process, a loan application, or a large online payment.

  • Query to Plusmo's API: Before allowing the process to continue, your institution queries the Plusmo API, sending the associated phone number (MSISDN) of the device: “Is the mobile device associated with MSISDN +5491145388773$ in roaming?”

  • Mobile Operator Response: The operator instantly responds with a binary confirmation, Yes (TRUE) or No (FALSE). Additionally, it provides the country code (MCC) where the device is located.

  • Risk-Based Decision: Your institution reviews the response:
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    -    If it is TRUE (it is in roaming), and your risk policy considers this unacceptable for that operation (e.g., onboarding), the operation is denied or the customer is redirected to a stricter manual verification process.
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    -If it is FALSE (it is not in roaming), the high-risk process continues normally.‍

  • This mechanism allows your company to apply dynamic risk rules based on the geography and operational status of the device.

Advanced Use Cases for Device Status API

The ability to confirm device status and location goes far beyond fraud prevention in the financial sector.

  • IoT (Internet of Things) Applications: In remote monitoring and management systems, knowing a device's connection status (e.g., a sensor, a smart meter) is crucial.

    -Diagnosis and Support: Verify if an IoT device has stopped working because it was moved (change of location) or simply is in an area without local coverage and had to enter roaming.

    -Asset Management: Confirm the last reported location of mobile assets for inventory and security.

  •  Remote Monitoring and Field Services: Logistics or security service companies can use the API to optimize their operations.

    -Logistics and Supply Chain: Verify the geographical location of the driver or package (if it has a SIM device) within a time range to confirm route compliance.

    -Travel and Assistance Insurance: Confirm that the customer requesting assistance or filing a claim is indeed in the country they reported (i.e., by detecting if they are in roaming).

  • Financial Institutions and E-commerce: The primary utility remains risk mitigation.

    -Adaptive Authentication: Implement a risk scoring system. If a device is roaming in a low-risk country (e.g., a neighboring country), the system may request a simple 2FA verification. If it is in a high-risk country, the operation is automatically denied.

    -Card Fraud Management: Cross-reference the location of the card transaction with the known location of the associated device to identify fraud attempts when the cardholder is traveling.

Tangible Benefits of Integration with Plusmo
Geographic Fraud Mitigation: Significantly reduces location-based fraud, especially fraudulent onboarding and illicit transfers from abroad.
Operational Intelligence: Obtain valuable information (roaming status, country code) to improve real-time decision-making and regulatory compliance.
Risk Customization: Allow your security policies to adapt to real risk (for example, permitting legitimate operations in neighboring countries, but blocking high-risk zones).
Optimized User Experience: For legitimate users, verification is instant and silent. Only users in risk situations (like unexpected roaming) will see an interruption or denial, protecting the rest of the customer base.

Frequent Asked Questions

How accurate is the geographic location provided by the API?
The API provides the device location at the country code (MCC) level and the roaming status. The precision is not exact GPS coordinates, but rather network-level location, which is sufficient for geographic fraud detection and the application of country-based risk policies.
What is the MSISDN and why do we need it for the query?
The MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) is simply the full phone number of the subscriber. It is the unique identifier that the API needs to query the mobile operator and determine the connection status of that device on the network.
Does roaming verification imply additional costs for my client?
No. The query is performed at the network level between the Plusmo API and the mobile operator. The customer does not incur additional data or roaming costs for the verification itself, as the API does not require any action from the end device.
What happens if the customer uses a Wi-Fi connection?
The API is designed to verify the device's mobile network status. If the device is using Wi-Fi but is registered on a foreign mobile network (i.e., the SIM is in a roaming state), the API will report it as such, as the mobile service status is the key indicator of geographic risk.
Can we use this API to locate a customer in an emergency?
Plusmo's Device Status API is exclusively designed and intended for fraud prevention and risk assessment. The location data is at the network level (country code) and is subject to strict privacy and security agreements with the operators, so its use is limited to the contractual purposes of status and risk verification. It should not be used as an emergency location tool.