KYC Isn’t Broken — We Just Keep Asking It to Do the Wrong Job

Know your customer (KYC) was never designed to be fraud control, yet fraud programs across the industry treat it like one. In this episode of Fraud Forward, host Hailey Windham sits down with Steve Lenderman, Head of Fraud Prevention at iSolve, for a necessary conversation about what KYC actually does, what it can't do, and why that distinction matters more than ever.

Steve and Hailey challenge the assumption that passing KYC means an identity is safe to trust. They explore why every fraud eventually passes KYC, how synthetic identities exploit static verification, and what AI has revealed about the limitations of one-time checks. From the gap between identity existence and identity ownership to the behavioral signals that matter after onboarding, this episode reframes KYC as a starting point, not a solution.

The highlights:

1. Why every fraud eventually passes KYC
2. The gap between identity existence and identity ownership
3. Behavioral signals that matter after onboarding
4. Why AI didn't break KYC, rather how it just exposed what was already broken

Guest lineup:

1. Steve Lenderman: Head of Fraud Prevention at iSolve
2. Hailey Windham: Host of Fraud Forward and Community Banking Lead at Sardine