Apate.AI Raises $8.15 Million to Expand AI Scam-Intelligence Platform

Apate.AI has raised US$8.15 million in an oversubscribed seed round to expand its AI-driven scam disruption and intelligence platform internationally.

The round was led by Lobby Capital, with participation from OIF Ventures, Investible, Concept Ventures and Baobab Ventures, according to FinTech Global. The company has also reincorporated in the United States as a Delaware corporation, effective 25 August 2026, as part of its expansion strategy.

AI agents engage scammers and extract financial intelligence

Apate’s platform uses conversational AI agents across voice and text channels to interact directly with suspected scammers. Rather than only detecting or blocking suspicious activity, the agents are designed to keep fraudsters engaged while collecting intelligence on their tactics, infrastructure and payment channels.

Apate says its system can extract information such as bank-account details, cryptocurrency wallet addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and other indicators from scam interactions. The resulting intelligence is then used by financial institutions, telecommunications providers, governments and law-enforcement partners to support fraud disruption and investigations.

The company’s website describes the model as a four-stage process covering detection, engagement, analysis and protection. It also says the platform can be deployed across call, SMS and messaging channels and integrated with existing institutional systems.

FinTech Global reported that Apate has already conducted more than 2.5 million autonomous conversations with threat actors and generated more than 250,000 intelligence artefacts for customer fraud-disruption processes. Commonwealth Bank of Australia is identified as one of the institutions using the technology.

Funding to support US and European expansion

Apate plans to use the new capital to expand its product capabilities and international footprint. A London office is expected to open next quarter to serve European clients, while the company is also scaling operations in North America. Co-founder and chief product officer Peter Eckermann is relocating to the United States to lead that expansion, while technology and research teams will remain in Sydney.

The development is relevant to financial-crime teams because the platform focuses not only on fraud prevention but also on identifying infrastructure used to move or receive scam proceeds, including mule accounts and cryptocurrency wallets. That intelligence can support earlier disruption of financial channels before proceeds are further transferred or layered.