The information used in a scam often exists long before the first phone call, text message, or email arrives. Usually, people do not know how much of their personal information is scattered across different databases, public websites, social networks, and even data broker sites. It is alarming that by themselves the details do not mean much, however, when combined, they can give someone with bad intentions just enough context to make a very convincing attempt at phishing, identity theft, and other scams.
Now more relevant than ever, fraud is continuing to rise, amplifying the problem. To put this into perspective, people aged 60 and over in the United States submitted 201,266 complaints to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2025 and reported approximately $7.7 billion in losses. In this particular age group, the FBI noted that the reported losses increased 37% from 2024.
Lithuanian technology company WhiteBridge AI has been working on this issue in a broader context for some time, and recently has shifted its focus to a question that carries significant importance for this problem: how much personal data is available online, and what can individuals do with that knowledge? What is more, WhiteBridge AI has also listed 1200 broker sites, which is only the tip of the iceberg of databases holding personal information.
This did not go unnoticed – bringing this issue and their focus to light, WhiteBridge AI was selected to join the Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV Fall 2026 program, alongside five Nordic and Baltic impact-tech participants. On August 26th, the cohort was announced by Mastercard Lighthouse, and WhiteBridge AI has been described as an online identity, reputation, and network management platform, as well as singling out AntiBridge – their consumer protection technology, with a primary focus on digital identity risks. As they themselves put it, it is a next-gen antivirus for your digital identity.
WhiteBridge AI was created around the idea that personal data online is only increasing. The technology behind the product brings together public and social information that educates users on their digital identity and online reputation, functioning as:
- Meeting preparation,
- Relationship research,
- Understanding one’s digital footprint.
The same underlying observation has another side – if legitimate software can locate and organize publicly available information about an individual, that information can also potentially be found by people with less legitimate intentions.
This line of thinking, research, and application led WhiteBridge AI to develop AntiBridge, a platform that turns the company’s ability to identify online information into personal protection. Instead of helping people understand their public presence, AntiBridge creates a safe space for individuals to see where their personal information has been exposed and what steps they can take to manage these risks.
“It is still important to understand that removing information cannot and will not cease every scam, identity theft attempt, phishing action, or data leak. The existence of your personal information also does not mean you will automatically become a victim of such actions. Reducing information, at the core of the action, means removing some of the available material, preventing a person with bad intentions from a very personal and believable approach,” says Paulius Taraškevičius, CEO of WhiteBridge AI.
When discussing fraud prevention, the moment suspicious activity becomes visible (receiving a scam call, an unusual charge, a weird message) is often seen as the time to act. However, the social engineering behind today’s scams is more complex and requires a different perspective to stay safe.
Before a scammer can impersonate you, your company, or your friends and family, they need specific and true personal data – that information is very useful to them. It is true that obtaining information such as an address, the full names of relatives, an employer, or an age does not require hacking. That information can already be on one’s Facebook profile, and it is enough to create a convincing lie, especially when someone is caught off guard or inexperienced.
The fraud figures presented by the FBI highlight just how dangerous this is to people over 60 years old – this is the most vulnerable group that lost approximately $7.7 billion in 2025 alone. These people did not grow up with technology, and their younger relatives are responsible for helping them understand and protect their personal data. Losing a large amount of money at that age is a tragedy.
With the development of WhiteBridge AI’s new technology, AntiBridge, the company is now pushing to expand its impact across the globe, focusing on key players that can help amplify it. That is why WhiteBridge AI pitched to Mastercard Lighthouse and was selected to participate in the Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV Fall 2026 cohort as a TOP5 company. Mastercard Lighthouse is a partnership program for sustainability and social-impact technology companies in the Nordic and Baltic region. Mastercard Lighthouse will provide WhiteBridge AI with access to a partnership and advisory ecosystem.
The Lighthouse programs bring startups and early-stage scaleups together with partner banks, investors, corporate partners, advisers and Mastercard Lighthouse to help them scale their businesses and develop partnerships. For the MASSIV program specifically, participating companies receive feedback and support from a group that includes Mastercard Lighthouse, Swedbank, UNDP, Danske Bank, Nets/Nexi, Synch and VEQ VC. The Lighthouse ecosystem includes an associated circle of more than 270 investors and corporate partners.
“We are very excited to start working together with the five selected qualified impact-tech companies this fall. Companies bring innovative solutions that are at the forefront of social impact and sustainability. Mastercard, together with our partner banks and advisors, can help provide the impact tech startups with the network to scale beyond their markets and realizing their impact faster through partnerships,” shares Mats Taraldsson, Head of Fintech and Impact Tech Engagement at Mastercard Northern Europe.
