A startup that claims to be able to stop scams before payments are made has secured $2m (£1.5m) in pre-seed funding.
Founded in 2024, FALKIN has developed a range of AI digital safety tools to analyse manipulation techniques and signs of deception commonly used by scammers across various communication channels.
These tools can be embedded into existing apps, including mobile banking apps and customer-service portals, to act as a line of defence against scams.
“The new battlefield isn’t payments – it’s persuasion,” said Boaz Valkin, co-founder of FALKIN.
“Protection has to move earlier, to the moment before someone clicks, replies, or transfers. We’re turning AI from a weapon of deception into a tool for defence.”
Fellow co-founder and FALKIN COO Joel Frisch added: “Modern scams are sophisticated, and no single red flag tells the whole story.
“The key is to analyse all the signals that reveal deception to build a complete picture. When we embed that intelligence where trust already lives – inside the banking apps people use every day – protection becomes effortless.”
The investment was led by TriplePoint Ventures and included participation from Notion Capital, BackFuture Ventures, Aviva/Founders Factory, Haatch, Found Capital, Founders Capital and angels.
“AI has blurred the line between what’s real and what’s fake, and traditional systems aren’t built for that reality,” said Sam Stone of TriplePoint Ventures.
“FALKIN’s vision to make proactive safety universal has the potential to redefine digital trust. We’re proud to back the team as they work to embed digital safety at the heart of modern finance.”
