Tazama: Open-source real-time fraud management

Tazama is an open-source platform focused on improving fraud management within digital payment systems.

Tazama marks a substantial transformation in the approach to financial monitoring and compliance worldwide. Previously, the financial sector struggled with proprietary solutions that were both expensive and restrictive, impeding access and flexibility, particularly in developing economies.

Tazama challenges this status quo by providing a scalable, cost-effective alternative that democratizes access to advanced financial monitoring tools that can help combat fraud.

Tazama addresses critical concerns of government, civil society, end users, industry bodies, and the financial services industry, including fraud detection, AML Compliance, and the cost-effective monitoring of digital financial transactions.

The solution’s architecture emphasizes data sovereignty, privacy, and transparency, aligning with the priorities of governments worldwide. Hosted by LF Charities, which will support the operation and function of the project, Tazama showcases the scalability and robustness of open-source solutions, particularly in critical infrastructure like national payment switches.

Features

• Evaluate transactions before they are completed and detect fraudulent transactions without degrading performance
• ISO 20022-formatted messages are submitted to an API for fraud detection “as-a-Service”
• Rules are discrete code modules that perform a single evaluation task and deliver clear and explainable assessments for the behaviors related to a transaction
• Detection behavior is defined through configuration files separate from the execution code and can be changed by users, not developers.

Working with Tazama

Several organizations are exploring synergies with Tazama, including BankservAfrica, IPSL, JoPACC, and BCEAO. Synergies include an evaluation of Tazama’s solution effectiveness, scalability, and adaptability in real-world scenarios, ensuring it meets and exceeds the diverse needs of Digital Financial Services Providers (DFSPs) across various sectors.

“This pioneering open-source platform helps address critical challenges like fraud detection and compliance and paves the way for innovative, inclusive financial solutions that serve everyone, especially those in low-income countries,” said Kosta Peric, Deputy Director, Payment Systems, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The launch of Tazama signifies another stride towards securing and democratizing digital financial services.”

Tazama is available for free on GitHub.

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