Heka vs SentiLink (2026)
For a US lender, the choice is between scoring application fraud on labeled US identity data and adding an outside read on whether the identity holds together, and Heka pitches itself as a layer beside SentiLink rather than a replacement. SentiLink runs separate 0 to 1000 scores for synthetic identities, identity theft and first party fraud, each with reason codes, from models trained on labels its own analysts assign and on account opening activity across more than 300 institutions. It confirms suspected synthetics with eCBSV, the Social Security Administration's check, which it was the first provider to offer. Heka collects what outside sources say about the applicant, from digital footprint and social presence to contact data, public records and breach exposure, and returns a 0 to 100 score with the source behind each signal. SentiLink is built around the Social Security number and works only in the United States, while Heka follows people across borders and also traces UK pension members. SentiLink names Cherry with funnel figures, and Heka's fraud results come from unnamed lenders. Neither publishes bias testing by demographic group.
- Applicants clear bureau, verification and device checks and still turn out to be fraud. Heka adds an outside test of whether the identity holds together across sources the applicant does not control.
- Analysts need to see why an applicant scored high. Each Heka signal comes with its source, such as an email found in breach data or an address tied to unrelated identities.
- Applicants have lived outside the United States. Heka's sources are global rather than keyed to a Social Security number.
- Pension tracing or underwriting research is on the same shopping list. Heka's engine also confirms deaths, finds next of kin and returns adverse findings with their sources.
- Synthetic identities built on real Social Security numbers drive the losses. SentiLink's synthetic score is trained on its analysts' labels, and eCBSV confirms the name, birth date and number with the agency.
- First party fraud is the loss nobody can label. SentiLink scores it apart from identity theft and synthetic fraud, on a definition built around misleading financial information rather than intent.
- Hard cases need a second set of expert eyes. Analysts can escalate from SentiLink's dashboard to its Fraud Intelligence Team, and Intercept puts motor vehicle, property and business records in one view.
- Security review wants typed reports in hand. SentiLink's trust center lists a SOC 2 Type 2 report, a payment card industry attestation and a penetration test report, released on request.
This comparison is published by AI FinTech Index, an independent research platform that publishes independent ratings of AI vendors for financial services. Heka and SentiLink are each graded against the same capability taxonomy, from each vendor's own public materials and the regulatory record, under the AI FinTech Index verification standard. No vendor pays for placement, and no vendor has reviewed this page. How this evidence is graded
Plain facts
| Heka | SentiLink | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary category | Fraud Detection & Transaction Risk | Fraud Detection & Transaction Risk |
| Founded | 2021 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | New York, New York, United States | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Website | hekaglobal.com | www.sentilink.com |
Side by Side
Select any grade to read the note behind it.
| Axis | H Heka |
S SentiLink |
|---|---|---|
| AI Centrality | ||
| Autonomy and Oversight Model | ||
| Model Risk Management and Transparency | ||
| Operational and Outcome Evidence | ||
| AI Safety and Data Stewardship | ||
| GLBA and Data Privacy Posture | ||
| Security Certifications and Trust Center | ||
| Regulatory Status and Licensure | ||
| AI Governance and Bias Disclosure | ||
| AI Liability and Recourse | ||
| Model Supply Chain Disclosure | ||
| Core Systems and Integration Depth | ||
| Deployment Model and Data Residency | ||
| Commercial Transparency | ||
| Institution and Segment Coverage |
The short version of each
Heka
Heka sells identity intelligence that US lenders, banks, card issuers and fintechs add on top of their existing checks. It resolves an applicant's digital footprint, social presence, contact data, public records and breach exposure to one person, tests whether those sources agree and returns a 0 to 100 identity risk score with the source behind each signal. In a digital lender's backtest it found 48 percent more fraud than the controls already in place. The same engine traces pension members across borders for UK schemes and screens applicants for insurers.
Source: AI FinTech Index, 2026
SentiLink
SentiLink sells identity fraud scores that US banks, credit unions and fintechs run at application: synthetic fraud, identity theft and first party fraud, each on a 0 to 1000 scale with reason codes, plus risk scores for a single phone, email or address. The models learn from labels assigned by its Fraud Intelligence Team and from account opening activity across more than 300 institutions. SentiLink was the first provider to offer the Social Security Administration's eCBSV check, and its Intercept workspace gives analysts motor vehicle, property, business and sanctions records in one view.
Source: AI FinTech Index, 2026
Common questions
Is Heka or SentiLink the better fit for synthetic identity fraud at a US lender?
SentiLink is the closer fit when synthetic identities built on Social Security numbers drive the losses, according to the AI FinTech Index, because its synthetic score is trained on labeled cases and pairs with the agency's eCBSV check. Heka earns its place as a second layer when applicants already pass those checks and the open question is whether their wider footprint holds together.
How do Heka and SentiLink explain a score to an analyst?
SentiLink returns reason codes for the factors that raised or lowered each score, and Insights adds plain descriptions such as a mismatched birth date or a commercial address. Heka returns each signal with its source, such as a digital identity first seen days ago, so the analyst can check the evidence directly. Graded by AI FinTech Index against the same capability axes from each vendor's own published materials, verified October 12, 2026. No vendor pays for placement.
What results have Heka and SentiLink published?
Heka reports evaluations against existing controls: 48 percent more fraud for a digital lender, and false positives cut from 5.7 to 3.5 percent at the same detection rate for a card issuer. SentiLink names Cherry, whose application funnel grew 5 percent with ID Complete and Insights, and its retrostudies found first party fraud behind 72 percent of preventable identity fraud losses. Graded by AI FinTech Index against the same capability axes from each vendor's own published materials, verified October 12, 2026. No vendor pays for placement.
Where do Heka and SentiLink hold applicant data?
SentiLink processes on AWS in the United States and lists AWS as its only subprocessor. Heka keeps all data on AWS in Ireland, so a US lender's applicant data is held in the EU. Graded by AI FinTech Index against the same capability axes from each vendor's own published materials, verified October 12, 2026. No vendor pays for placement.
Related comparisons
Other published head to head assessments involving these vendors or their closest peers. The full set for this category is on the Fraud Detection & Transaction Risk page.
SentiLink's terms state that it is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and that its scores are not meant to decide credit eligibility. Heka has published no position on that law for its lender product; the benign reading is that the question is settled in client contracts rather than in public. Barclays is among Heka's investors.