How Geocomply Works in Payment Systems and Antifraud Protection

[Cloned Boy]

Geocomply is a geolocation analysis technology used to combat fraud in online payments, gambling (e.g. PokerStars) and banking.

1. Basic principles of work​

The system analyzes the user's location and related data to identify suspicious activity.

What does Geocomply check?​

Parameter	How is it used?
IP address	Compared to stated location (VPN/proxy = risk).
GPS data	The exact coordinates of the device (if allowed).
Wi-Fi/Cell Tower	Determines location through nearby networks.
Time zone	Mismatch between IP and system time → suspicion.
Device	Browser fingerprint, MAC address, phone model.

2. Where is it used?​

1. Online casinos and betting (eg PokerStars, BetMGM):
   • Blocks players from restricted regions (eg USA in some states).
   • Detects multi-accounting (one user under different IPs).
2. Banks and payments (e.g. PayPal, Revolut):
   • Warns about suspicious logins (for example, login from Russia an hour after login from the US).
   • Requires 2FA for anomalies.
3. Crypto exchanges (eg Binance):
   • Blocks access from IP addresses of sanctioned countries.

3. How do they bypass Geocomply? (And how do they protect themselves)​

Popular Attack Methods​

Bypass method	How Geocomply Detects
VPN/Proxy	IP pool analysis (Datacenter-IP → blocking).
GPS spoofing	Root/jailbreak check + Wi-Fi/Cell Tower comparison.
Device emulation	Digital fingerprint analysis (WebGL, Canvas, fonts).
SIM swap	Checking the operator's IMSI/MCC code (IP and mobile network mismatch → risk).

Case example​

• Attack : Russian attacker uses VPN (USA) + GPS spoofing to access PokerStars.
• Protection: Geocomply sees:
  • IP from data center (non-resident).
  • GPS does not match Wi-Fi/Cell Tower.
    → Account Blocked.

4. Technologies similar to Geocomply​

• MaxMind GeoIP – IP geolocation database.
• Sift Science – anti-fraud for payments.
• Arkose Labs – bot protection.

5. How to explore Geocomply legally?​

1. Analysis via DevTools (Chrome):
   • Checking what data is sent to /geocomply/api.
2. Test accounts (for payment system developers).
3. Bug Bounty – search for vulnerabilities within programs (HackerOne).

Important: Bypassing Geocomply in real systems violates laws (CFAA in the USA, 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Conclusion​

Geocomply is a powerful anti-fraud tool, but it's not perfect. For research, check out:

• Digital fingerprints (FingerprintJS).
• Traffic analysis (Wireshark, Burp Suite).
• Official Geocomply documentation for partners.

Need examples of legal tests? Ready to help!