Data science has applications in many different sectors. Its applications are widely visible in the financial industry. Data science is essential for sectors generating large volumes of data. The financial industry is not behind in producing large volumes of data. There is a need to extract meaningful insights and knowledge from large volumes of data.
It is where financial data science comes into the picture. Finance professionals rely on data science solutions for fraud, risk management, and many other processes. In this era of digitisation, fighting financial crime requires additional support. Let us discuss the applications of financial data science in risk management and fraud detection.
Understanding Financial Data Science
Data science is the process of extracting insights from structures and unstructured data. When insights are extracted from large volumes of financial data, it is called Financial Data Science. Besides having analytical skills, data scientists also have financial knowledge. It helps address the challenges and loopholes within the financial industry.
Data science is actively used in the finance industry for risk management, quantitative analysis, portfolio optimisation, fraud mitigation, credit scoring, predictive modelling, regulatory compliance, and other purposes. Let us discuss its applications in risk management and fraud detection.
Credit Risk Evaluation
Credit risk evaluation is one of the main uses of data science in the finance industry. Financial institutions or lenders cannot offer loans without prior investigation. The idea is to check the creditworthiness of the individual or organisation before loan approval. Credit score, repayment history, and other factors are considered to evaluate the creditworthiness of a borrower.
Finance professionals have to deal with a large number of loan applications daily. It is where they can use data science models for evaluating the credit risk associated with different borrowers. It will consider all the parameters to evaluate the credit risk associated with a borrower.
Knowing Market Risks
Market risks can hamper the performance of a financial institution. For example, inflation, bear markets, and other conditions can affect the performance of firms. Financial institutions must keep a check on the market and adapt to changing conditions. Data science models are excellent in analysing large volumes of data and finding patterns. They are used to analyse market patterns and trends to make forecasts. Data science operations allow financial institutions to react to changing market conditions proactively.
Knowing Operational Risks
Several internal risks might hamper the performance of a financial institution. For instance, human errors in redundant tasks might lead to a disaster. Luckily, data science solutions can collect information from different processes and systems. They analyse operational data to find loopholes and human errors. When operational risks are managed timely, financial institutions can maintain business continuity.
Checking Tax Compliance
Besides financial institutions, tax authorities also rely on data science models to detect fraud. Tax authorities need to know about fraudulent activities linked with filing tax returns. Based on the historical data of individuals, data science models evaluate the level of risk. For instance, an individual filing tax returns timely for the last ten years might not have a substantial risk score. On the other hand, a person missing out on tax returns might be flagged by the data science models. With the help of predictive analysis, data science models can help tax authorities prevent fraud.
Detecting Anomalies
Banks, insurance firms, Fintech providers, and NBFCs depend on financial data science to detect anomalies. When something is fishy about a transaction, data science models detect it in real-time. Data science models gather transactional data and analyse it to find loopholes. They also use historical data to identify usual patterns. When something occurs out of the ordinary, data science models generate alerts. For example, data science models can generate an alert when a credit card is used from a distant location, far from its usual location.
Text Analysis
Text analysis is essential for financial institutions fighting fraud. With the help of text analysis, financial institutions can implement communication surveillance. They can keep a check on customer communication and identify possible cases of fraud. Data science models backed with AI and ML can extract insights from different data types. They can even extract meaningful insights from images and videos.
Identity Authentication
Many fraud cases occur due to identity theft. Malicious actors impersonate someone else to steal money or information. Data science models can implement strict identity authentication measures to prevent fraud. Since these models are great at identifying patterns, they prevent impersonation. When anything appears abnormal, they can conclude that someone is impersonating the original customer.
In a Nutshell
Risk management is essential for the survival of a financial institution. Similarly, finance firms must fight fraud to safeguard money and customer data. Fraudsters have become more advanced in the past few years. Efficient data science models can help financial firms fight fraud and implement risk management strategies. Learn more about the use of financial data science now!
