**CASE STUDY**

# Reducing Checkout Friction While Protecting Rewards-Driven Commerce

# 3DS Dependency Out, Real-Time Fraud Decisioning In

**“**By trusting our Fraud Detection to Forter, it enables us to be laser-focused on our core business, without being distracted by the complexities of fraud management, ultimately improving our efficiency and effectiveness.”  
**— Isaac Tay, VP of Product, ShopBack**

## THE CHALLENGE

As a leading online and offline rewards platform, ShopBack processes high-velocity transactions that demand instant approvals and a frictionless checkout experience. Historically, ShopBack relied fully on 3D Secure, or 3DS, to protect against fraud — a strategy that reduced chargebacks but introduced significant friction for users at the point of payment.

**As ShopBack expanded into new markets and introduced additional voucher and payment flows, this approach became limiting.** Real-time approvals were essential, particularly for instant voucher payments, yet 3DS slowed conversion and negatively impacted user experience; it was a real challenge of cost vs. friction. At the same time, fraud risks — especially voucher abuse — were rising in key markets.

ShopBack needed a scalable fraud solution capable of delivering instant, automated decisions across different regions to be able to seamlessly provide the best shopping deals and rewards to their users, while maintaining chargeback rates within acceptable thresholds. Relying solely on internal data was no longer sufficient — the team required broader network intelligence to stay ahead of evolving fraud patterns without compromising speed, security, or growth.

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## THE SOLUTION

ShopBack partnered with Forter to introduce real-time fraud decisioning across its payment flows, reducing reliance on 3DS while maintaining strong fraud controls. Forter’s Fraud Management solution instantly evaluates every transaction using network-wide intelligence and machine learning to accurately distinguish trusted users from fraudulent activity — without adding friction.

This capability was especially critical for ShopBack’s voucher payment flow, where approvals must happen immediately and manual reviews or delayed decisions are not viable. With Forter, ShopBack confidently lowered 3DS rates, replacing blanket authentication with precise, automated decisions tailored to risk in real time.

The integration enabled ShopBack to scale fraud protection alongside business growth, adapt to regional risk nuances, and expand into new markets with confidence. With Forter acting as the primary fraud defense layer, ShopBack’s internal teams were freed from fraud complexity and able to focus on driving merchant value, user growth, and platform innovation.

While testing required close collaboration, Forter’s technical team and dedicated fraud analyst provided hands-on support throughout implementation — ensuring a smooth go-live and measurable impact shortly after launch.

## “**I’ve worked with other companies, and with Forter, there is just a higher level of commitment to make things work. The Forter team understands the true balance of cost vs. friction and has been able to ensure that our cost structure makes sense.”**  
## — Isaac Tay, VP of Product, ShopBack

## THE RESULTS

### Solutions:

- **Fraud Management**  
   - **Dramatically Reduced 3DS Dependency**  
By replacing blanket 3DS enforcement with Forter’s real-time decisions, ShopBack significantly lowered checkout friction while maintaining security across regions.

**98.57%**  
Reduction in 3DS rate — from 100% to as low as 1.43%

### Healthy Chargeback Rates Across All Markets

Forter enabled ShopBack to safely reduce authentication without increasing fraud exposure, keeping chargebacks well within industry guidelines.

**0.025%**  
The current avg. CB rate Growth supported, across major markets customer-centered

### Consistently Low 3DS Rates, Globally

Forter’s real-time decisioning allowed ShopBack to minimize authentication friction while maintaining strong fraud controls across major markets.

**4.8%**  
The current avg. 3DS rate across major markets.

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## About Forter

**Forter is the Trust Platform for digital commerce.** We make accurate, instant assessments of trustworthiness across every step of the buying journey. Our ability to isolate fraud and protect consumers is why Adobe, ASOS, eBay, Instacart, Priceline, Nordstrom, and many more leaders across industries have trusted us to process more than $2 trillion in transactions. Our deep understanding of identity and use of automation helps businesses prevent fraud, maximize revenue and deliver superior experiences for their consumers. Learn more at www.forter.com.