SMS Pumping Fraud Detection: Stop Costly Text Message Fraud in Real-Time

SMS Pumping Detection API Implementation

// SMS Pumping Fraud Detection with Node.js
const express = require('express');
const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');
const { phoneValidation } = require('phone-check-api');

const app = express();

// Configure phone validation client
const phoneValidator = new phoneValidation({
  apiKey: process.env.PHONE_CHECK_API_KEY,
  enableFraudDetection: true,
  riskThreshold: 0.7 // Block high-risk requests
});

// SMS pumping detection middleware
async function smsPumpingProtection(req, res, next) {
  const { phone, email, ipAddress } = req.body;

  try {
    // Real-time fraud risk assessment
    const validation = await phoneValidator.validate({
      phone: phone,
      email: email,
      ipAddress: req.ip,
      userAgent: req.get('User-Agent'),
      includeRiskAnalysis: true,
      checkSmsPumping: true
    });

    // Extract fraud signals
    const riskScore = validation.riskScore;
    const smsPumpingRisk = validation.smsPumpingRisk;
    const phoneType = validation.phoneType;
    const carrierRisk = validation.carrierRisk;

    // Decision matrix
    if (riskScore >= 0.9 || smsPumpingRisk === 'high') {
      // Block immediately - high confidence fraud
      return res.status(429).json({
        error: 'Request blocked due to suspicious activity',
        retryAfter: 3600
      });
    } else if (riskScore >= 0.7 || smsPumpingRisk === 'medium') {
      // Rate limit suspicious requests
      if (req.rateLimitPenalty) {
        return res.status(429).json({
          error: 'Too many requests',
          retryAfter: 300
        });
      }
      req.rateLimitPenalty = true;
    }

    // Check for VoIP numbers (higher risk)
    if (phoneType === 'voip' && riskScore >= 0.5) {
      // Additional verification required for VoIP numbers
      req.additionalVerification = true;
    }

    // Log for monitoring
    logFraudSignals({
      phone: phone,
      riskScore,
      smsPumpingRisk,
      phoneType,
      carrierRisk,
      timestamp: new Date()
    });

    next();
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Fraud detection error:', error);
    // Fail open - do not block legitimate requests on API errors
    next();
  }
}

// Apply fraud detection to SMS endpoints
app.post('/api/send-otp',
  rateLimit({ windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, max: 5 }), // 5 requests per 15 minutes
  smsPumpingProtection,
  async (req, res) => {
    // Your OTP sending logic here
    const { phone } = req.body;

    if (req.additionalVerification) {
      // Require additional verification for high-risk numbers
      return res.json({
        requiresVerification: true,
        methods: ['email', 'push_notification']
      });
    }

    // Send OTP for legitimate requests
    const otp = generateOTP();
    await sendSMS(phone, `Your verification code: ${otp}`);

    res.json({ success: true, messageId: generateMessageId() });
  }
);

// Monitor fraud patterns
function logFraudSignals(data) {
  // Store in your monitoring system
  // Trigger alerts for unusual patterns
  // Update ML models with new data
}

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('SMS pumping protection active');
});