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Published on
April 7, 2025
5 min read
UK’s Metro Bank Partners with AI Startup Ask Silver, Unveils Fraud Detector Tool
UK-based Metro Bank has unveiled an AI powered scam detector solution, UK Tech News reported. The bank partnered with AI startup, Ask Silver to develop the solution. The Metro Bank AI partnership is focused on addressing rising fraud that has cost people in the country billions in losses.
Fast Fraud Checking
Metro Bank’s AI solution lets customers check their fraud risk via a WhatsApp message. Using Metro Bank’s AI fraud solution, customers can submit images of transactions or communication they suspect to be fraudulent. The bank uses an AI tool developed by Ask Silver to analyze the content of those images. The AI tool sends a WhatsApp response to the customers highlighting the risk of fraud.
“This new partnership with Ask Silver is a game changer in protecting customers from fraud and helping to stop crime. We take the security of our customers very seriously and constantly review how we can help them fight fraud,” Head of Fraud at Metro Bank Baz Thompson said.
Speed is critical in protecting customers from fraudsters.Metro Bank’s AI security solution alerts customers to fraud and guides them on how to stay safe.
“Criminals often play on urgency and speed to trick people into parting ways with their hard-earned cash. Being able to offer a service where customers can know in minutes whether something is fraudulent provides an essential barrier to staying one step ahead of fraudsters,” Thompson said.
UK’s Fraud Problem
In the UK, fraud is currently the leading legal risk. Four or more out of every 10 crimes reported in the UK are fraud or scams. People in Britain lost over a billion pounds in 2023. In the first half of 2024, £358 million was lost to fraud.
The amount increased by 5% from the same period in 2023. Metro Bank is the first UK bank to work with the award-winning AI startup Ask Silver to solve the problem for its customers.
AI technologies could be highly effective in fighting scammers. Increasingly, fraudsters are leveraging tools like voice cloning, deep fakes, and generative copywriting to advance the crimes. Ask Silver holds that AI can be used to deter fraudsters and protect consumers.
UK’s largest digital bank, Revolut, has been calling for shared responsibility with social media platforms like Meta in addressing the fraud problem and compensating scam victims. Britain’s fintech body Innovate Finance echoed these calls, urging the creation of an anti-fraud strategy that holds telcos, social media platforms, and payment providers accountable for reimbursing fraud victims.
A Pivotal Step
Ask Silver expressed enthusiasm in its deal with Metro, terming the new partnership a pivotal step in advancing financial security. The AI startup was co-founded by Alex Somervell and Johnny Pryn back in 2023. Somervell was inspired to develop the AI-powered scam detection tools after a member of his family lost £150,000, most of which came from their life savings.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Metro Bank to empower its customers in the fight against fraud and scams. This partnership marks a pivotal step in safeguarding financial security and we hope it’s just the beginning. We’re building the most human-focused anti-scam company, and partnering with customer-focused financial institutions like Metro Bank is core to that. We want to work together with banks, public institutions and the public to keep our loved ones safe, as well as their hard-earned money,” Somervell said.
Metro Bank unveiled the new AI fraud solution barely a month after it deployed agentic AI across its commercial and corporate operations. The UK bank partnered with fintech AI startup, Covecta in this deployment.
