FICO https://www.fico.com/blogs/ en A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention https://www.fico.com/blogs/7-step-enterprise-fraud-framework-redefine-scam-prevention <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">There is no one silver bullet for stopping scams — effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19636" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena">Vineet Saxena</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Fellow, Fraud and Credit </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-18T10:30:00Z" class="datetime">Wed, 02/18/2026 - 10:30</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Scams (or authorized push payments) are the scourge of the day.</p><p>While no formal figures exist, it is estimated that the global scam losses <a href="https://www.gasa.org/post/global-state-of-scams-report-2024-1-trillion-stolen-in-12-months-gasa-feedzai" target="_blank">exceed $1 trillion per annum</a>. Organized crime is at the heart of this increase, with some estimates putting <a href="https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc" target="_blank">1.5 million employed as professional scamsters</a>.</p><p>The rising professionalism of the scamsters, the availability of “off the shelf” scam tools (e.g., phish kits), the very high “gross margin”, the increasing digitization of customer experiences, and inadequate law enforcement are all contributing to a continued increase in scams across the world.</p><p>The regulatory expectations, and the associated cost of compliance, vary by market. The most extreme position exists in the UK, where financial institutions are liable for up to £85k in almost all cases. Most regulators are examining the “Shared Responsibility Framework” framework, and it is reasonable to assume that FIs will have to bear an increasing share of this cost.</p><p>Customer expectations prize fraud defenses when selecting a FI. In a <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/ebook/2025-consumer-survey-usa-fraud-identity-and-digital-banking" target="_blank">global survey</a> of 1,600 customers, some 60% ranked “Good Fraud Protection” as either their top or the second priority. This was followed by “Ease of Use” (43%). While seemingly at odds, these two are the opposite sides of the same coin. Effective scam detection, measured by a high value detection rate at an acceptable level of false positives, becomes a key business growth imperative.</p><h2>7 Steps to Scam Prevention</h2><p>There is no one silver bullet defense against scams.&nbsp; The ideal scenario – a fully alert customer – remains unrealistic.</p><p>Instead, effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy. The following 7-step framework offers a practical, intelligence-driven approach toward scam defense.</p><ol><li><strong>Understand Customer Susceptibility</strong><br>The framework begins with proactive assessment of customer vulnerability through sophisticated susceptibility scoring. This involves harvesting both monetary transactions and non-monetary events across all customer touchpoints to create always-on customer profiles. This requires an <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-applied-intelligence-and-how-does-it-work" target="_blank">applied intelligence platform</a> that enables real-time assessment that evolves with each customer interaction. (Note: This approach needs to be vetted against local privacy and permissibility requirements.)</li><li><strong>Create Robust Customer Personas</strong><br>By developing personas that reflect psychographic and behavioral characteristics, institutions can assess specific scam vulnerabilities. For example, customers with high investible income who engage in cryptocurrency trading may be particularly susceptible to investment scams. Knowing customers helps to protect them.</li><li><strong>Deploy Targeted, Personalized, Proactive Communication and Education</strong>&nbsp;<br>Generic scam warnings prove largely ineffective. The framework emphasizes hyper-personalized, contextual messaging aligned to individual risk profiles and scam types, creating more informed and alert customers. Breaking the scammer's spell is critical.</li><li><strong>Alert and Amplify with the Susceptibility Score</strong><br>At the heart of scam detection lies sophisticated monitoring of customer behavior and activity. The framework recommends multi-layered decisioning that first identifies anomalies, then determines whether they're associated with scams or traditional fraud. Enterprise fraud capabilities can "amplify" transaction scores based on customer susceptibility and personas.</li><li><strong>Build Dynamic In-Journey Engagement</strong><br>Understanding that customers in "hot states" often ignore generic warnings, the framework emphasizes <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" target="_blank">dynamic, personalized dialogue</a> that creates appropriate friction and reflection opportunities. This may include cooling-off periods or post-transaction follow-up when customers are more receptive.</li><li><strong>Close the Back Door</strong>&nbsp;<br>Since stolen funds must flow through mule accounts, the framework emphasizes real-time intervention capabilities beyond traditional anti-money laundering controls. This requires transitioning from monthly batch assessments to instantaneous monitoring and account freezing.</li><li><strong>Collaborate across the Ecosystem</strong>&nbsp;<br>Build a formal ecosystem across the regulator, law enforcement, telcos, social media platforms, and industry bodies to facilitate data sharing and best practice. This is probably the hardest task.</li></ol><p>Download the complete <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework whitepaper</a>&nbsp;as a roadmap for transforming scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage.</p><img data-entity-uuid="511642e8-1b20-4fde-9c9b-2b09bc7e0aea" data-entity-type="file" alt="Scam prevention 7 points" width="1626" height="763" loading="lazy" class="img-fluid lazyload" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Scams%20WP.jpg.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>How to Operationalize the Enterprise Fraud Framework</h2><p>Scam prevention demands more than traditional fraud controls — it requires a sophisticated, data-driven platform capable of analyzing vast volumes of signals in real time, while maintaining the right balance between customer protection and experience. FICO operationalizes this framework by integrating advanced analytics, orchestration, and engagement capabilities across the customer lifecycle.</p><h3>Dynamic Profiles</h3><p><a href="https://www.fico.com/en/fico-platform" target="_blank">FICO® Platform</a> continuously ingests non-monetary and transactional data, integrating third-party APIs and behavioral data to maintain evolving customer profiles. This dynamic view enables institutions to measure scam susceptibility in context and detect emerging risk patterns early.</p><h3>Speed and Throughput Capacity</h3><p>With the ability to process tens of thousands of transactions per second, the system ensures risk assessments and customer interventions occur instantaneously — essential when scam funds can move within seconds.</p><h3>FICO<sup>®</sup> Marketplace Integration</h3><p><a href="https://marketplace.fico.com/" target="_blank">FICO Marketplace</a> is a digital data hub created to give FICO Platform users easy access to third-party data providers via API connections.&nbsp;Specialist risk-signal providers — such as behavioral analytics, device intelligence, and telecom data — can be seamlessly integrated into existing decision flows. This open approach ensures access to best-in-class capability and agility in adapting to new threat vectors without extensive redevelopment.</p><h3>Transactional Composition</h3><p>Transaction compositions represent a state-of-the-art orchestration capability, allowing institutions to “compose” complex workflows that link signals, models, policies, and actions across the enterprise. This enables a consistent, explainable, and adaptive approach to scam detection and prevention across all channels.</p><h3>AI and Machine Learning</h3><p>Gain access to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/enterprise-fraud-innovations" target="_blank">FICO consortium models</a>, along with FICO’s <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" target="_blank">award-winning detection model with a dedicated&nbsp;scam score</a>. Regionally available insights like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a> can also provide valuable intelligence for scam management.</p><h3>Omni-Channel Engagement</h3><p>Use built-in <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/platform/omni-channel-engagement" target="_blank">customer communication capabilities</a>&nbsp;that leverage the customer’s channel of choice. Effective scam prevention requires seamless communication across preferred customer channels — mobile apps, SMS, email, or voice. Built-in customer communication capabilities enable real-time channel transitions, ensuring scam warnings reach customers in context while minimizing friction and maximizing impact.</p><h2>The Path Forward</h2><p>The scam epidemic represents an existential threat to customer trust and institutional stability. Financial institutions that wait for regulatory mandates or perfect solutions will find themselves at a significant disadvantage.</p><p>Success requires ruthless measurement and tagging of both structured and unstructured data to create virtuous feedback loops. Equally critical is constant engagement with operations teams and active monitoring to assess new vectors and anticipate emerging attack patterns.</p><p>As the threat landscape continues evolving, financial institutions must embrace proactive, intelligence-driven strategies that protect customers while maintaining operational efficiency. Use the seven-step framework whitepaper as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage and position for success in an increasingly complex risk environment.</p><h2>Learn More about How FICO Can Help You Stop Scams</h2><ul><li>Download the <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework</a> as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage</li><li>Learn more about scams:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorized-push-payment-fraud" target="_blank">What is Push Payment Fraud?</a></li><li>Read <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers" target="_blank">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Vineet&#x20;Saxena</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Vineet Saxena currently serves as a Fraud and Credit Fellow at FICO, where he is responsible for deepening client relationships, supporting product development, and mentoring key talent. He is a seasoned global banking executive with over 25 years of experience in consumer banking, business transformation, and risk management. Prior to joining FICO, he served as Global Head of Fraud &amp; Credit Services for Wealth &amp; Personal Banking at HSBC, where he oversaw comprehensive fraud prevention, credit origination, credit bureau management, and analytic decision systems across multiple markets. Under his leadership, HSBC drove significant improvements in fraud loss reduction — achieving performance roughly 30% better than industry benchmarks—and expanded unsecured credit decisioning through advanced analytics and technology platforms.<br /> <br /> Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Global Retail Risk at HSBC, where he built a best-in-class collections organization and led operating model redesigns that delivered substantial cost efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness. Earlier in his career, Vineet was President of the HSBC Credit Center, where he built and scaled a multi-state consumer lending business in the U.S.<br /> Vineet began his professional journey in management consulting and software engineering and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MSc in Economics from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. He serves on the board of Nirmaan.org and the Customer Innovation Board at BioCatch. He enjoys history, is a struggling golfer, and has always wanted a dog.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:vineetsaxena@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/new-technology-can-detect-prevent-scams-real-time">New Technology Can Detect &amp; Prevent Scams in Real Time</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:29:01 +0000 Vineet Saxena 19636 at https://www.fico.com/blogs A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention https://www.fico.com/blogs/7-step-enterprise-fraud-framework-redefine-scam-prevention <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">There is no one silver bullet for stopping scams — effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19636" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena">Vineet Saxena</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Fellow, Fraud and Credit </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-18T10:30:00Z" class="datetime">Wed, 02/18/2026 - 10:30</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Scams (or authorized push payments) are the scourge of the day.</p><p>While no formal figures exist, it is estimated that the global scam losses <a href="https://www.gasa.org/post/global-state-of-scams-report-2024-1-trillion-stolen-in-12-months-gasa-feedzai" target="_blank">exceed $1 trillion per annum</a>. Organized crime is at the heart of this increase, with some estimates putting <a href="https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc" target="_blank">1.5 million employed as professional scamsters</a>.</p><p>The rising professionalism of the scamsters, the availability of “off the shelf” scam tools (e.g., phish kits), the very high “gross margin”, the increasing digitization of customer experiences, and inadequate law enforcement are all contributing to a continued increase in scams across the world.</p><p>The regulatory expectations, and the associated cost of compliance, vary by market. The most extreme position exists in the UK, where financial institutions are liable for up to £85k in almost all cases. Most regulators are examining the “Shared Responsibility Framework” framework, and it is reasonable to assume that FIs will have to bear an increasing share of this cost.</p><p>Customer expectations prize fraud defenses when selecting a FI. In a <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/ebook/2025-consumer-survey-usa-fraud-identity-and-digital-banking" target="_blank">global survey</a> of 1,600 customers, some 60% ranked “Good Fraud Protection” as either their top or the second priority. This was followed by “Ease of Use” (43%). While seemingly at odds, these two are the opposite sides of the same coin. Effective scam detection, measured by a high value detection rate at an acceptable level of false positives, becomes a key business growth imperative.</p><h2>7 Steps to Scam Prevention</h2><p>There is no one silver bullet defense against scams.&nbsp; The ideal scenario – a fully alert customer – remains unrealistic.</p><p>Instead, effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy. The following 7-step framework offers a practical, intelligence-driven approach toward scam defense.</p><ol><li><strong>Understand Customer Susceptibility</strong><br>The framework begins with proactive assessment of customer vulnerability through sophisticated susceptibility scoring. This involves harvesting both monetary transactions and non-monetary events across all customer touchpoints to create always-on customer profiles. This requires an <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-applied-intelligence-and-how-does-it-work" target="_blank">applied intelligence platform</a> that enables real-time assessment that evolves with each customer interaction. (Note: This approach needs to be vetted against local privacy and permissibility requirements.)</li><li><strong>Create Robust Customer Personas</strong><br>By developing personas that reflect psychographic and behavioral characteristics, institutions can assess specific scam vulnerabilities. For example, customers with high investible income who engage in cryptocurrency trading may be particularly susceptible to investment scams. Knowing customers helps to protect them.</li><li><strong>Deploy Targeted, Personalized, Proactive Communication and Education</strong>&nbsp;<br>Generic scam warnings prove largely ineffective. The framework emphasizes hyper-personalized, contextual messaging aligned to individual risk profiles and scam types, creating more informed and alert customers. Breaking the scammer's spell is critical.</li><li><strong>Alert and Amplify with the Susceptibility Score</strong><br>At the heart of scam detection lies sophisticated monitoring of customer behavior and activity. The framework recommends multi-layered decisioning that first identifies anomalies, then determines whether they're associated with scams or traditional fraud. Enterprise fraud capabilities can "amplify" transaction scores based on customer susceptibility and personas.</li><li><strong>Build Dynamic In-Journey Engagement</strong><br>Understanding that customers in "hot states" often ignore generic warnings, the framework emphasizes <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" target="_blank">dynamic, personalized dialogue</a> that creates appropriate friction and reflection opportunities. This may include cooling-off periods or post-transaction follow-up when customers are more receptive.</li><li><strong>Close the Back Door</strong>&nbsp;<br>Since stolen funds must flow through mule accounts, the framework emphasizes real-time intervention capabilities beyond traditional anti-money laundering controls. This requires transitioning from monthly batch assessments to instantaneous monitoring and account freezing.</li><li><strong>Collaborate across the Ecosystem</strong>&nbsp;<br>Build a formal ecosystem across the regulator, law enforcement, telcos, social media platforms, and industry bodies to facilitate data sharing and best practice. This is probably the hardest task.</li></ol><p>Download the complete <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework whitepaper</a>&nbsp;as a roadmap for transforming scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage.</p><img data-entity-uuid="511642e8-1b20-4fde-9c9b-2b09bc7e0aea" data-entity-type="file" alt="Scam prevention 7 points" width="1626" height="763" loading="lazy" class="img-fluid lazyload" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Scams%20WP.jpg.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>How to Operationalize the Enterprise Fraud Framework</h2><p>Scam prevention demands more than traditional fraud controls — it requires a sophisticated, data-driven platform capable of analyzing vast volumes of signals in real time, while maintaining the right balance between customer protection and experience. FICO operationalizes this framework by integrating advanced analytics, orchestration, and engagement capabilities across the customer lifecycle.</p><h3>Dynamic Profiles</h3><p><a href="https://www.fico.com/en/fico-platform" target="_blank">FICO® Platform</a> continuously ingests non-monetary and transactional data, integrating third-party APIs and behavioral data to maintain evolving customer profiles. This dynamic view enables institutions to measure scam susceptibility in context and detect emerging risk patterns early.</p><h3>Speed and Throughput Capacity</h3><p>With the ability to process tens of thousands of transactions per second, the system ensures risk assessments and customer interventions occur instantaneously — essential when scam funds can move within seconds.</p><h3>FICO<sup>®</sup> Marketplace Integration</h3><p><a href="https://marketplace.fico.com/" target="_blank">FICO Marketplace</a> is a digital data hub created to give FICO Platform users easy access to third-party data providers via API connections.&nbsp;Specialist risk-signal providers — such as behavioral analytics, device intelligence, and telecom data — can be seamlessly integrated into existing decision flows. This open approach ensures access to best-in-class capability and agility in adapting to new threat vectors without extensive redevelopment.</p><h3>Transactional Composition</h3><p>Transaction compositions represent a state-of-the-art orchestration capability, allowing institutions to “compose” complex workflows that link signals, models, policies, and actions across the enterprise. This enables a consistent, explainable, and adaptive approach to scam detection and prevention across all channels.</p><h3>AI and Machine Learning</h3><p>Gain access to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/enterprise-fraud-innovations" target="_blank">FICO consortium models</a>, along with FICO’s <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" target="_blank">award-winning detection model with a dedicated&nbsp;scam score</a>. Regionally available insights like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a> can also provide valuable intelligence for scam management.</p><h3>Omni-Channel Engagement</h3><p>Use built-in <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/platform/omni-channel-engagement" target="_blank">customer communication capabilities</a>&nbsp;that leverage the customer’s channel of choice. Effective scam prevention requires seamless communication across preferred customer channels — mobile apps, SMS, email, or voice. Built-in customer communication capabilities enable real-time channel transitions, ensuring scam warnings reach customers in context while minimizing friction and maximizing impact.</p><h2>The Path Forward</h2><p>The scam epidemic represents an existential threat to customer trust and institutional stability. Financial institutions that wait for regulatory mandates or perfect solutions will find themselves at a significant disadvantage.</p><p>Success requires ruthless measurement and tagging of both structured and unstructured data to create virtuous feedback loops. Equally critical is constant engagement with operations teams and active monitoring to assess new vectors and anticipate emerging attack patterns.</p><p>As the threat landscape continues evolving, financial institutions must embrace proactive, intelligence-driven strategies that protect customers while maintaining operational efficiency. Use the seven-step framework whitepaper as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage and position for success in an increasingly complex risk environment.</p><h2>Learn More about How FICO Can Help You Stop Scams</h2><ul><li>Download the <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework</a> as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage</li><li>Learn more about scams:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorized-push-payment-fraud" target="_blank">What is Push Payment Fraud?</a></li><li>Read <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers" target="_blank">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Vineet&#x20;Saxena</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Vineet Saxena currently serves as a Fraud and Credit Fellow at FICO, where he is responsible for deepening client relationships, supporting product development, and mentoring key talent. He is a seasoned global banking executive with over 25 years of experience in consumer banking, business transformation, and risk management. Prior to joining FICO, he served as Global Head of Fraud &amp; Credit Services for Wealth &amp; Personal Banking at HSBC, where he oversaw comprehensive fraud prevention, credit origination, credit bureau management, and analytic decision systems across multiple markets. Under his leadership, HSBC drove significant improvements in fraud loss reduction — achieving performance roughly 30% better than industry benchmarks—and expanded unsecured credit decisioning through advanced analytics and technology platforms.<br /> <br /> Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Global Retail Risk at HSBC, where he built a best-in-class collections organization and led operating model redesigns that delivered substantial cost efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness. Earlier in his career, Vineet was President of the HSBC Credit Center, where he built and scaled a multi-state consumer lending business in the U.S.<br /> Vineet began his professional journey in management consulting and software engineering and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MSc in Economics from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. He serves on the board of Nirmaan.org and the Customer Innovation Board at BioCatch. He enjoys history, is a struggling golfer, and has always wanted a dog.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:vineetsaxena@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/new-technology-can-detect-prevent-scams-real-time">New Technology Can Detect &amp; Prevent Scams in Real Time</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:29:01 +0000 Vineet Saxena 19636 at https://www.fico.com/blogs A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention https://www.fico.com/blogs/7-step-enterprise-fraud-framework-redefine-scam-prevention <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">There is no one silver bullet for stopping scams — effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19636" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena">Vineet Saxena</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Fellow, Fraud and Credit </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-18T10:30:00Z" class="datetime">Wed, 02/18/2026 - 10:30</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Scams (or authorized push payments) are the scourge of the day.</p><p>While no formal figures exist, it is estimated that the global scam losses <a href="https://www.gasa.org/post/global-state-of-scams-report-2024-1-trillion-stolen-in-12-months-gasa-feedzai" target="_blank">exceed $1 trillion per annum</a>. Organized crime is at the heart of this increase, with some estimates putting <a href="https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc" target="_blank">1.5 million employed as professional scamsters</a>.</p><p>The rising professionalism of the scamsters, the availability of “off the shelf” scam tools (e.g., phish kits), the very high “gross margin”, the increasing digitization of customer experiences, and inadequate law enforcement are all contributing to a continued increase in scams across the world.</p><p>The regulatory expectations, and the associated cost of compliance, vary by market. The most extreme position exists in the UK, where financial institutions are liable for up to £85k in almost all cases. Most regulators are examining the “Shared Responsibility Framework” framework, and it is reasonable to assume that FIs will have to bear an increasing share of this cost.</p><p>Customer expectations prize fraud defenses when selecting a FI. In a <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/ebook/2025-consumer-survey-usa-fraud-identity-and-digital-banking" target="_blank">global survey</a> of 1,600 customers, some 60% ranked “Good Fraud Protection” as either their top or the second priority. This was followed by “Ease of Use” (43%). While seemingly at odds, these two are the opposite sides of the same coin. Effective scam detection, measured by a high value detection rate at an acceptable level of false positives, becomes a key business growth imperative.</p><h2>7 Steps to Scam Prevention</h2><p>There is no one silver bullet defense against scams.&nbsp; The ideal scenario – a fully alert customer – remains unrealistic.</p><p>Instead, effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy. The following 7-step framework offers a practical, intelligence-driven approach toward scam defense.</p><ol><li><strong>Understand Customer Susceptibility</strong><br>The framework begins with proactive assessment of customer vulnerability through sophisticated susceptibility scoring. This involves harvesting both monetary transactions and non-monetary events across all customer touchpoints to create always-on customer profiles. This requires an <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-applied-intelligence-and-how-does-it-work" target="_blank">applied intelligence platform</a> that enables real-time assessment that evolves with each customer interaction. (Note: This approach needs to be vetted against local privacy and permissibility requirements.)</li><li><strong>Create Robust Customer Personas</strong><br>By developing personas that reflect psychographic and behavioral characteristics, institutions can assess specific scam vulnerabilities. For example, customers with high investible income who engage in cryptocurrency trading may be particularly susceptible to investment scams. Knowing customers helps to protect them.</li><li><strong>Deploy Targeted, Personalized, Proactive Communication and Education</strong>&nbsp;<br>Generic scam warnings prove largely ineffective. The framework emphasizes hyper-personalized, contextual messaging aligned to individual risk profiles and scam types, creating more informed and alert customers. Breaking the scammer's spell is critical.</li><li><strong>Alert and Amplify with the Susceptibility Score</strong><br>At the heart of scam detection lies sophisticated monitoring of customer behavior and activity. The framework recommends multi-layered decisioning that first identifies anomalies, then determines whether they're associated with scams or traditional fraud. Enterprise fraud capabilities can "amplify" transaction scores based on customer susceptibility and personas.</li><li><strong>Build Dynamic In-Journey Engagement</strong><br>Understanding that customers in "hot states" often ignore generic warnings, the framework emphasizes <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" target="_blank">dynamic, personalized dialogue</a> that creates appropriate friction and reflection opportunities. This may include cooling-off periods or post-transaction follow-up when customers are more receptive.</li><li><strong>Close the Back Door</strong>&nbsp;<br>Since stolen funds must flow through mule accounts, the framework emphasizes real-time intervention capabilities beyond traditional anti-money laundering controls. This requires transitioning from monthly batch assessments to instantaneous monitoring and account freezing.</li><li><strong>Collaborate across the Ecosystem</strong>&nbsp;<br>Build a formal ecosystem across the regulator, law enforcement, telcos, social media platforms, and industry bodies to facilitate data sharing and best practice. This is probably the hardest task.</li></ol><p>Download the complete <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework whitepaper</a>&nbsp;as a roadmap for transforming scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage.</p><img data-entity-uuid="511642e8-1b20-4fde-9c9b-2b09bc7e0aea" data-entity-type="file" alt="Scam prevention 7 points" width="1626" height="763" loading="lazy" class="img-fluid lazyload" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Scams%20WP.jpg.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>How to Operationalize the Enterprise Fraud Framework</h2><p>Scam prevention demands more than traditional fraud controls — it requires a sophisticated, data-driven platform capable of analyzing vast volumes of signals in real time, while maintaining the right balance between customer protection and experience. FICO operationalizes this framework by integrating advanced analytics, orchestration, and engagement capabilities across the customer lifecycle.</p><h3>Dynamic Profiles</h3><p><a href="https://www.fico.com/en/fico-platform" target="_blank">FICO® Platform</a> continuously ingests non-monetary and transactional data, integrating third-party APIs and behavioral data to maintain evolving customer profiles. This dynamic view enables institutions to measure scam susceptibility in context and detect emerging risk patterns early.</p><h3>Speed and Throughput Capacity</h3><p>With the ability to process tens of thousands of transactions per second, the system ensures risk assessments and customer interventions occur instantaneously — essential when scam funds can move within seconds.</p><h3>FICO<sup>®</sup> Marketplace Integration</h3><p><a href="https://marketplace.fico.com/" target="_blank">FICO Marketplace</a> is a digital data hub created to give FICO Platform users easy access to third-party data providers via API connections.&nbsp;Specialist risk-signal providers — such as behavioral analytics, device intelligence, and telecom data — can be seamlessly integrated into existing decision flows. This open approach ensures access to best-in-class capability and agility in adapting to new threat vectors without extensive redevelopment.</p><h3>Transactional Composition</h3><p>Transaction compositions represent a state-of-the-art orchestration capability, allowing institutions to “compose” complex workflows that link signals, models, policies, and actions across the enterprise. This enables a consistent, explainable, and adaptive approach to scam detection and prevention across all channels.</p><h3>AI and Machine Learning</h3><p>Gain access to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/enterprise-fraud-innovations" target="_blank">FICO consortium models</a>, along with FICO’s <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" target="_blank">award-winning detection model with a dedicated&nbsp;scam score</a>. Regionally available insights like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a> can also provide valuable intelligence for scam management.</p><h3>Omni-Channel Engagement</h3><p>Use built-in <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/platform/omni-channel-engagement" target="_blank">customer communication capabilities</a>&nbsp;that leverage the customer’s channel of choice. Effective scam prevention requires seamless communication across preferred customer channels — mobile apps, SMS, email, or voice. Built-in customer communication capabilities enable real-time channel transitions, ensuring scam warnings reach customers in context while minimizing friction and maximizing impact.</p><h2>The Path Forward</h2><p>The scam epidemic represents an existential threat to customer trust and institutional stability. Financial institutions that wait for regulatory mandates or perfect solutions will find themselves at a significant disadvantage.</p><p>Success requires ruthless measurement and tagging of both structured and unstructured data to create virtuous feedback loops. Equally critical is constant engagement with operations teams and active monitoring to assess new vectors and anticipate emerging attack patterns.</p><p>As the threat landscape continues evolving, financial institutions must embrace proactive, intelligence-driven strategies that protect customers while maintaining operational efficiency. Use the seven-step framework whitepaper as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage and position for success in an increasingly complex risk environment.</p><h2>Learn More about How FICO Can Help You Stop Scams</h2><ul><li>Download the <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework</a> as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage</li><li>Learn more about scams:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorized-push-payment-fraud" target="_blank">What is Push Payment Fraud?</a></li><li>Read <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers" target="_blank">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Vineet&#x20;Saxena</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Vineet Saxena currently serves as a Fraud and Credit Fellow at FICO, where he is responsible for deepening client relationships, supporting product development, and mentoring key talent. He is a seasoned global banking executive with over 25 years of experience in consumer banking, business transformation, and risk management. Prior to joining FICO, he served as Global Head of Fraud &amp; Credit Services for Wealth &amp; Personal Banking at HSBC, where he oversaw comprehensive fraud prevention, credit origination, credit bureau management, and analytic decision systems across multiple markets. Under his leadership, HSBC drove significant improvements in fraud loss reduction — achieving performance roughly 30% better than industry benchmarks—and expanded unsecured credit decisioning through advanced analytics and technology platforms.<br /> <br /> Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Global Retail Risk at HSBC, where he built a best-in-class collections organization and led operating model redesigns that delivered substantial cost efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness. Earlier in his career, Vineet was President of the HSBC Credit Center, where he built and scaled a multi-state consumer lending business in the U.S.<br /> Vineet began his professional journey in management consulting and software engineering and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MSc in Economics from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. He serves on the board of Nirmaan.org and the Customer Innovation Board at BioCatch. He enjoys history, is a struggling golfer, and has always wanted a dog.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:vineetsaxena@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/new-technology-can-detect-prevent-scams-real-time">New Technology Can Detect &amp; Prevent Scams in Real Time</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:29:01 +0000 Vineet Saxena 19636 at https://www.fico.com/blogs A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention https://www.fico.com/blogs/7-step-enterprise-fraud-framework-redefine-scam-prevention <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">There is no one silver bullet for stopping scams — effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19636" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena">Vineet Saxena</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Fellow, Fraud and Credit </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-18T10:30:00Z" class="datetime">Wed, 02/18/2026 - 10:30</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Scams (or authorized push payments) are the scourge of the day.</p><p>While no formal figures exist, it is estimated that the global scam losses <a href="https://www.gasa.org/post/global-state-of-scams-report-2024-1-trillion-stolen-in-12-months-gasa-feedzai" target="_blank">exceed $1 trillion per annum</a>. Organized crime is at the heart of this increase, with some estimates putting <a href="https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc" target="_blank">1.5 million employed as professional scamsters</a>.</p><p>The rising professionalism of the scamsters, the availability of “off the shelf” scam tools (e.g., phish kits), the very high “gross margin”, the increasing digitization of customer experiences, and inadequate law enforcement are all contributing to a continued increase in scams across the world.</p><p>The regulatory expectations, and the associated cost of compliance, vary by market. The most extreme position exists in the UK, where financial institutions are liable for up to £85k in almost all cases. Most regulators are examining the “Shared Responsibility Framework” framework, and it is reasonable to assume that FIs will have to bear an increasing share of this cost.</p><p>Customer expectations prize fraud defenses when selecting a FI. In a <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/ebook/2025-consumer-survey-usa-fraud-identity-and-digital-banking" target="_blank">global survey</a> of 1,600 customers, some 60% ranked “Good Fraud Protection” as either their top or the second priority. This was followed by “Ease of Use” (43%). While seemingly at odds, these two are the opposite sides of the same coin. Effective scam detection, measured by a high value detection rate at an acceptable level of false positives, becomes a key business growth imperative.</p><h2>7 Steps to Scam Prevention</h2><p>There is no one silver bullet defense against scams.&nbsp; The ideal scenario – a fully alert customer – remains unrealistic.</p><p>Instead, effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy. The following 7-step framework offers a practical, intelligence-driven approach toward scam defense.</p><ol><li><strong>Understand Customer Susceptibility</strong><br>The framework begins with proactive assessment of customer vulnerability through sophisticated susceptibility scoring. This involves harvesting both monetary transactions and non-monetary events across all customer touchpoints to create always-on customer profiles. This requires an <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-applied-intelligence-and-how-does-it-work" target="_blank">applied intelligence platform</a> that enables real-time assessment that evolves with each customer interaction. (Note: This approach needs to be vetted against local privacy and permissibility requirements.)</li><li><strong>Create Robust Customer Personas</strong><br>By developing personas that reflect psychographic and behavioral characteristics, institutions can assess specific scam vulnerabilities. For example, customers with high investible income who engage in cryptocurrency trading may be particularly susceptible to investment scams. Knowing customers helps to protect them.</li><li><strong>Deploy Targeted, Personalized, Proactive Communication and Education</strong>&nbsp;<br>Generic scam warnings prove largely ineffective. The framework emphasizes hyper-personalized, contextual messaging aligned to individual risk profiles and scam types, creating more informed and alert customers. Breaking the scammer's spell is critical.</li><li><strong>Alert and Amplify with the Susceptibility Score</strong><br>At the heart of scam detection lies sophisticated monitoring of customer behavior and activity. The framework recommends multi-layered decisioning that first identifies anomalies, then determines whether they're associated with scams or traditional fraud. Enterprise fraud capabilities can "amplify" transaction scores based on customer susceptibility and personas.</li><li><strong>Build Dynamic In-Journey Engagement</strong><br>Understanding that customers in "hot states" often ignore generic warnings, the framework emphasizes <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" target="_blank">dynamic, personalized dialogue</a> that creates appropriate friction and reflection opportunities. This may include cooling-off periods or post-transaction follow-up when customers are more receptive.</li><li><strong>Close the Back Door</strong>&nbsp;<br>Since stolen funds must flow through mule accounts, the framework emphasizes real-time intervention capabilities beyond traditional anti-money laundering controls. This requires transitioning from monthly batch assessments to instantaneous monitoring and account freezing.</li><li><strong>Collaborate across the Ecosystem</strong>&nbsp;<br>Build a formal ecosystem across the regulator, law enforcement, telcos, social media platforms, and industry bodies to facilitate data sharing and best practice. This is probably the hardest task.</li></ol><p>Download the complete <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework whitepaper</a>&nbsp;as a roadmap for transforming scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage.</p><img data-entity-uuid="511642e8-1b20-4fde-9c9b-2b09bc7e0aea" data-entity-type="file" alt="Scam prevention 7 points" width="1626" height="763" loading="lazy" class="img-fluid lazyload" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Scams%20WP.jpg.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>How to Operationalize the Enterprise Fraud Framework</h2><p>Scam prevention demands more than traditional fraud controls — it requires a sophisticated, data-driven platform capable of analyzing vast volumes of signals in real time, while maintaining the right balance between customer protection and experience. FICO operationalizes this framework by integrating advanced analytics, orchestration, and engagement capabilities across the customer lifecycle.</p><h3>Dynamic Profiles</h3><p><a href="https://www.fico.com/en/fico-platform" target="_blank">FICO® Platform</a> continuously ingests non-monetary and transactional data, integrating third-party APIs and behavioral data to maintain evolving customer profiles. This dynamic view enables institutions to measure scam susceptibility in context and detect emerging risk patterns early.</p><h3>Speed and Throughput Capacity</h3><p>With the ability to process tens of thousands of transactions per second, the system ensures risk assessments and customer interventions occur instantaneously — essential when scam funds can move within seconds.</p><h3>FICO<sup>®</sup> Marketplace Integration</h3><p><a href="https://marketplace.fico.com/" target="_blank">FICO Marketplace</a> is a digital data hub created to give FICO Platform users easy access to third-party data providers via API connections.&nbsp;Specialist risk-signal providers — such as behavioral analytics, device intelligence, and telecom data — can be seamlessly integrated into existing decision flows. This open approach ensures access to best-in-class capability and agility in adapting to new threat vectors without extensive redevelopment.</p><h3>Transactional Composition</h3><p>Transaction compositions represent a state-of-the-art orchestration capability, allowing institutions to “compose” complex workflows that link signals, models, policies, and actions across the enterprise. This enables a consistent, explainable, and adaptive approach to scam detection and prevention across all channels.</p><h3>AI and Machine Learning</h3><p>Gain access to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/enterprise-fraud-innovations" target="_blank">FICO consortium models</a>, along with FICO’s <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" target="_blank">award-winning detection model with a dedicated&nbsp;scam score</a>. Regionally available insights like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a> can also provide valuable intelligence for scam management.</p><h3>Omni-Channel Engagement</h3><p>Use built-in <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/platform/omni-channel-engagement" target="_blank">customer communication capabilities</a>&nbsp;that leverage the customer’s channel of choice. Effective scam prevention requires seamless communication across preferred customer channels — mobile apps, SMS, email, or voice. Built-in customer communication capabilities enable real-time channel transitions, ensuring scam warnings reach customers in context while minimizing friction and maximizing impact.</p><h2>The Path Forward</h2><p>The scam epidemic represents an existential threat to customer trust and institutional stability. Financial institutions that wait for regulatory mandates or perfect solutions will find themselves at a significant disadvantage.</p><p>Success requires ruthless measurement and tagging of both structured and unstructured data to create virtuous feedback loops. Equally critical is constant engagement with operations teams and active monitoring to assess new vectors and anticipate emerging attack patterns.</p><p>As the threat landscape continues evolving, financial institutions must embrace proactive, intelligence-driven strategies that protect customers while maintaining operational efficiency. Use the seven-step framework whitepaper as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage and position for success in an increasingly complex risk environment.</p><h2>Learn More about How FICO Can Help You Stop Scams</h2><ul><li>Download the <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework</a> as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage</li><li>Learn more about scams:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorized-push-payment-fraud" target="_blank">What is Push Payment Fraud?</a></li><li>Read <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers" target="_blank">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Vineet&#x20;Saxena</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Vineet Saxena currently serves as a Fraud and Credit Fellow at FICO, where he is responsible for deepening client relationships, supporting product development, and mentoring key talent. He is a seasoned global banking executive with over 25 years of experience in consumer banking, business transformation, and risk management. Prior to joining FICO, he served as Global Head of Fraud &amp; Credit Services for Wealth &amp; Personal Banking at HSBC, where he oversaw comprehensive fraud prevention, credit origination, credit bureau management, and analytic decision systems across multiple markets. Under his leadership, HSBC drove significant improvements in fraud loss reduction — achieving performance roughly 30% better than industry benchmarks—and expanded unsecured credit decisioning through advanced analytics and technology platforms.<br /> <br /> Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Global Retail Risk at HSBC, where he built a best-in-class collections organization and led operating model redesigns that delivered substantial cost efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness. Earlier in his career, Vineet was President of the HSBC Credit Center, where he built and scaled a multi-state consumer lending business in the U.S.<br /> Vineet began his professional journey in management consulting and software engineering and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MSc in Economics from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. He serves on the board of Nirmaan.org and the Customer Innovation Board at BioCatch. He enjoys history, is a struggling golfer, and has always wanted a dog.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:vineetsaxena@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/new-technology-can-detect-prevent-scams-real-time">New Technology Can Detect &amp; Prevent Scams in Real Time</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:29:01 +0000 Vineet Saxena 19636 at https://www.fico.com/blogs A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention https://www.fico.com/blogs/7-step-enterprise-fraud-framework-redefine-scam-prevention <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">A 7-Step Enterprise Fraud Framework to Redefine Scam Prevention</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">There is no one silver bullet for stopping scams — effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19636" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena">Vineet Saxena</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Fellow, Fraud and Credit </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-18T10:30:00Z" class="datetime">Wed, 02/18/2026 - 10:30</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Scams (or authorized push payments) are the scourge of the day.</p><p>While no formal figures exist, it is estimated that the global scam losses <a href="https://www.gasa.org/post/global-state-of-scams-report-2024-1-trillion-stolen-in-12-months-gasa-feedzai" target="_blank">exceed $1 trillion per annum</a>. Organized crime is at the heart of this increase, with some estimates putting <a href="https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc" target="_blank">1.5 million employed as professional scamsters</a>.</p><p>The rising professionalism of the scamsters, the availability of “off the shelf” scam tools (e.g., phish kits), the very high “gross margin”, the increasing digitization of customer experiences, and inadequate law enforcement are all contributing to a continued increase in scams across the world.</p><p>The regulatory expectations, and the associated cost of compliance, vary by market. The most extreme position exists in the UK, where financial institutions are liable for up to £85k in almost all cases. Most regulators are examining the “Shared Responsibility Framework” framework, and it is reasonable to assume that FIs will have to bear an increasing share of this cost.</p><p>Customer expectations prize fraud defenses when selecting a FI. In a <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/ebook/2025-consumer-survey-usa-fraud-identity-and-digital-banking" target="_blank">global survey</a> of 1,600 customers, some 60% ranked “Good Fraud Protection” as either their top or the second priority. This was followed by “Ease of Use” (43%). While seemingly at odds, these two are the opposite sides of the same coin. Effective scam detection, measured by a high value detection rate at an acceptable level of false positives, becomes a key business growth imperative.</p><h2>7 Steps to Scam Prevention</h2><p>There is no one silver bullet defense against scams.&nbsp; The ideal scenario – a fully alert customer – remains unrealistic.</p><p>Instead, effective defense requires a multi-layered strategy. The following 7-step framework offers a practical, intelligence-driven approach toward scam defense.</p><ol><li><strong>Understand Customer Susceptibility</strong><br>The framework begins with proactive assessment of customer vulnerability through sophisticated susceptibility scoring. This involves harvesting both monetary transactions and non-monetary events across all customer touchpoints to create always-on customer profiles. This requires an <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-applied-intelligence-and-how-does-it-work" target="_blank">applied intelligence platform</a> that enables real-time assessment that evolves with each customer interaction. (Note: This approach needs to be vetted against local privacy and permissibility requirements.)</li><li><strong>Create Robust Customer Personas</strong><br>By developing personas that reflect psychographic and behavioral characteristics, institutions can assess specific scam vulnerabilities. For example, customers with high investible income who engage in cryptocurrency trading may be particularly susceptible to investment scams. Knowing customers helps to protect them.</li><li><strong>Deploy Targeted, Personalized, Proactive Communication and Education</strong>&nbsp;<br>Generic scam warnings prove largely ineffective. The framework emphasizes hyper-personalized, contextual messaging aligned to individual risk profiles and scam types, creating more informed and alert customers. Breaking the scammer's spell is critical.</li><li><strong>Alert and Amplify with the Susceptibility Score</strong><br>At the heart of scam detection lies sophisticated monitoring of customer behavior and activity. The framework recommends multi-layered decisioning that first identifies anomalies, then determines whether they're associated with scams or traditional fraud. Enterprise fraud capabilities can "amplify" transaction scores based on customer susceptibility and personas.</li><li><strong>Build Dynamic In-Journey Engagement</strong><br>Understanding that customers in "hot states" often ignore generic warnings, the framework emphasizes <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" target="_blank">dynamic, personalized dialogue</a> that creates appropriate friction and reflection opportunities. This may include cooling-off periods or post-transaction follow-up when customers are more receptive.</li><li><strong>Close the Back Door</strong>&nbsp;<br>Since stolen funds must flow through mule accounts, the framework emphasizes real-time intervention capabilities beyond traditional anti-money laundering controls. This requires transitioning from monthly batch assessments to instantaneous monitoring and account freezing.</li><li><strong>Collaborate across the Ecosystem</strong>&nbsp;<br>Build a formal ecosystem across the regulator, law enforcement, telcos, social media platforms, and industry bodies to facilitate data sharing and best practice. This is probably the hardest task.</li></ol><p>Download the complete <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework whitepaper</a>&nbsp;as a roadmap for transforming scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage.</p><img data-entity-uuid="511642e8-1b20-4fde-9c9b-2b09bc7e0aea" data-entity-type="file" alt="Scam prevention 7 points" width="1626" height="763" loading="lazy" class="img-fluid lazyload" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Scams%20WP.jpg.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>How to Operationalize the Enterprise Fraud Framework</h2><p>Scam prevention demands more than traditional fraud controls — it requires a sophisticated, data-driven platform capable of analyzing vast volumes of signals in real time, while maintaining the right balance between customer protection and experience. FICO operationalizes this framework by integrating advanced analytics, orchestration, and engagement capabilities across the customer lifecycle.</p><h3>Dynamic Profiles</h3><p><a href="https://www.fico.com/en/fico-platform" target="_blank">FICO® Platform</a> continuously ingests non-monetary and transactional data, integrating third-party APIs and behavioral data to maintain evolving customer profiles. This dynamic view enables institutions to measure scam susceptibility in context and detect emerging risk patterns early.</p><h3>Speed and Throughput Capacity</h3><p>With the ability to process tens of thousands of transactions per second, the system ensures risk assessments and customer interventions occur instantaneously — essential when scam funds can move within seconds.</p><h3>FICO<sup>®</sup> Marketplace Integration</h3><p><a href="https://marketplace.fico.com/" target="_blank">FICO Marketplace</a> is a digital data hub created to give FICO Platform users easy access to third-party data providers via API connections.&nbsp;Specialist risk-signal providers — such as behavioral analytics, device intelligence, and telecom data — can be seamlessly integrated into existing decision flows. This open approach ensures access to best-in-class capability and agility in adapting to new threat vectors without extensive redevelopment.</p><h3>Transactional Composition</h3><p>Transaction compositions represent a state-of-the-art orchestration capability, allowing institutions to “compose” complex workflows that link signals, models, policies, and actions across the enterprise. This enables a consistent, explainable, and adaptive approach to scam detection and prevention across all channels.</p><h3>AI and Machine Learning</h3><p>Gain access to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/enterprise-fraud-innovations" target="_blank">FICO consortium models</a>, along with FICO’s <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" target="_blank">award-winning detection model with a dedicated&nbsp;scam score</a>. Regionally available insights like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a> can also provide valuable intelligence for scam management.</p><h3>Omni-Channel Engagement</h3><p>Use built-in <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/platform/omni-channel-engagement" target="_blank">customer communication capabilities</a>&nbsp;that leverage the customer’s channel of choice. Effective scam prevention requires seamless communication across preferred customer channels — mobile apps, SMS, email, or voice. Built-in customer communication capabilities enable real-time channel transitions, ensuring scam warnings reach customers in context while minimizing friction and maximizing impact.</p><h2>The Path Forward</h2><p>The scam epidemic represents an existential threat to customer trust and institutional stability. Financial institutions that wait for regulatory mandates or perfect solutions will find themselves at a significant disadvantage.</p><p>Success requires ruthless measurement and tagging of both structured and unstructured data to create virtuous feedback loops. Equally critical is constant engagement with operations teams and active monitoring to assess new vectors and anticipate emerging attack patterns.</p><p>As the threat landscape continues evolving, financial institutions must embrace proactive, intelligence-driven strategies that protect customers while maintaining operational efficiency. Use the seven-step framework whitepaper as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage and position for success in an increasingly complex risk environment.</p><h2>Learn More about How FICO Can Help You Stop Scams</h2><ul><li>Download the <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/redefining-scam-prevention-seven-step-path-customer-protection" target="_blank">7-step framework</a> as a roadmap to transform scam prevention from compliance obligation into strategic advantage</li><li>Learn more about scams:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorized-push-payment-fraud" target="_blank">What is Push Payment Fraud?</a></li><li>Read <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers" target="_blank">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2026-02/Vineet%20Saxena%20Headshot.jpg.webp?itok=Tj7eTOgz" alt="Vineet&#x20;Saxena" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Vineet&#x20;Saxena</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Vineet Saxena currently serves as a Fraud and Credit Fellow at FICO, where he is responsible for deepening client relationships, supporting product development, and mentoring key talent. He is a seasoned global banking executive with over 25 years of experience in consumer banking, business transformation, and risk management. Prior to joining FICO, he served as Global Head of Fraud &amp; Credit Services for Wealth &amp; Personal Banking at HSBC, where he oversaw comprehensive fraud prevention, credit origination, credit bureau management, and analytic decision systems across multiple markets. Under his leadership, HSBC drove significant improvements in fraud loss reduction — achieving performance roughly 30% better than industry benchmarks—and expanded unsecured credit decisioning through advanced analytics and technology platforms.<br /> <br /> Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Global Retail Risk at HSBC, where he built a best-in-class collections organization and led operating model redesigns that delivered substantial cost efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness. Earlier in his career, Vineet was President of the HSBC Credit Center, where he built and scaled a multi-state consumer lending business in the U.S.<br /> Vineet began his professional journey in management consulting and software engineering and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MSc in Economics from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India. He serves on the board of Nirmaan.org and the Customer Innovation Board at BioCatch. He enjoys history, is a struggling golfer, and has always wanted a dog.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/vineet-saxena"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:vineetsaxena@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/new-technology-can-detect-prevent-scams-real-time">New Technology Can Detect &amp; Prevent Scams in Real Time</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:29:01 +0000 Vineet Saxena 19636 at https://www.fico.com/blogs How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">Authorized push payment fraud, aka scams, are exploding in volume and impact - banks should consider the role of AI in scam detection and prevention</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19266" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb">Debbie Cobb</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Vice President, Product Management </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-12T11:45:00Z" class="datetime">Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:45</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div><p paraid="1789253871" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{142}">Around the world, consumers have eagerly adopted real-time payments (RTP) through services like Faster Payments (UK), Pix (Brazil), UPI (India), and Zelle (USA). In many regions, these payments are the primary way that consumers move money, which is fundamentally changing the payments landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1749710698" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{158}">Fraudsters have taken note of this shift, and are targeting consumers directly. As I've discussed, <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorised-push-payment-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">authorized push payment (APP) fraud</a> incidents, also known as scams, have exploded and are becoming increasingly sophisticated, posing significant threats to both consumers and financial institutions. Criminals are using an ever-growing range of tactics and techniques that include impersonation scams, investment scams, romance scams and employment scams, just to name a few. &nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1216529123" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{209}">On the one hand, banks and other financial institutions need the right tools and approaches to detect and prevent scams, which include techniques powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. On the other hand, consumers must understand how to protect themselves,&nbsp; and learn what to look for as criminals adopt ever more sophisticated tactics like generative AI to conduct their scam activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud and Scams Flourish&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="653553313" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{22}">APP fraud, commonly known as scams, happen when victims are tricked into authorizing payments to fraudsters. This tactic has taken root globally and continued to grow, resulting in increasing losses for both consumers and banks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1688302268" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{54}">For example, <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/system/files/2025-05/UK%20Finance%20Annual%20Fraud%20report%202025.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">UK Finance reports</a> £450.7 million lost to authorized payment fraud in Britain in 2024, with just £267.1 million returned to customers. These numbers were similar in 2022 and 2023, confirming this long-term APP fraud trend has solidified and is not abating on its own.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="697953138" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{117}">Similar fraud challenges have expanded in Australia. <a href="https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/new-australian-law-makes-banks-telecoms-liable-for-scams-a-27516" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scams grew 18% between 2022 and 2023</a>, totaling AU$2.74 billion in losses. These were reported across more than 600,000 individual complaints for more than $4,500.00 in losses per case.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1210212766" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{162}">The problem has permeated the US too. The <a href="https:\\www.ic3.gov\AnnualReport\Reports\2024_IC3Report.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FBI’s annual IC3 report</a> tallied an average of 836,000 fraud complaints per year since 2020, or more than 4 million total, totaling $50.5 billion in losses – or $12,625.00 per report.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="866586824" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{195}">According to the FBI, the scams reported most – and by a significant margin – included phishing and spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Each of these scam tactics can and increasingly does lead directly either to APP fraud, or other digital banking frauds like account takeover:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><table class="table" style="border-style:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="b1e22f40-4681-498d-b420-dd8b1b15b45d" data-entity-type="file" class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="50" height="50" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Hook.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Phishing and spoofing are used to steal personal information, credentials, and one-time passcodes (OTPs). With those data points, criminals can commit fraud like unauthorized transactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="0bf965ed-4926-48e8-a9d9-56278eb3f47b" data-entity-type="file" alt class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="34" height="34" loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Mask.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Spoofing and impersonation are often used to commit APP fraud through victim extortion. Criminals will pretend to be someone of authority, or pretend to have compromising information about the victim, to convince victims that they must make a payment to avoid a negative outcome like being arrested.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="124428f2-2f98-4c4a-8019-7bfd848e4c85" data-entity-type="file" class="align-center img-fluid lazyload" width="36" height="36" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Breach.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Personal data breaches lead to password resets and account takeovers, and to exposure of sensitive data to the dark web. These breaches can feed data into criminal networks, which then use the compromised information to either extort victims or try to take over the victim’s account.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><p paraid="339665619" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{49}">Because scams and other financial crimes have become a continuous and financially painful problem for consumers, legislators and regulators have been under pressure to act.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Governments Respond with New Liability Rules&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="2041921480" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{85}">To address the worldwide scams problem, governments have begun to respond with rules and laws that make financial institutions liable for scam fraud losses. In these frameworks, liability typically means fines for the bank, and reimbursement of losses associated with scams not otherwise returned to customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="709236085" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{135}">New laws and rules relating to scams are accelerating the need for banks to invest in scams detection &amp; scam prevention technologies. For example, Australia’s new scams prevention framework is dubbed the “world’s toughest anti-scam laws”. It requires social media providers to verify their advertisers; telecoms to detect and disrupt scam phone numbers, calls, and texts; and banks to confirm payee identities. Failure to do so can result in fines up to AU$50 million.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1066871118" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{223}">In Spain, the <a href="https://www.abogacia.es/en/publicaciones/blogs/blog-de-derecho-de-los-los-consumidores/responsabilidad-de-los-bancos-ante-fraudes-digitales-nueva-sentencia-del-tribunal-supremo/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tribuno Supremo ruled</a> in favor of an Ibercaja bank customer after an account takeover scam. The customer was targeted with a phishing attack and their spouse’s SIM card was duplicated. The criminals reset the customer’s bank password by intercepting an OTP sent via SMS and stole €83,000. The bank recovered and returned €27,000. The customer sued the bank and was rewarded the difference, €56,000, plus interest, at the bank’s expense.&nbsp;</p></div><div><div><h2>The Role of AI Scams and Scam Defense&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="883939957" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{49}">Fraudsters are increasingly leveraging AI tools to enhance their scams. AI enables them to create more convincing deepfake video and audio content, to craft sophisticated phishing attacks, defeat some biometric security measures, and perpetrate outlandish and highly effective impersonation scams.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="557164041" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{71}">For example, the FBI’s 2024 IC3 report ranked “romance/confidence” scams as tenth most reported type of scam – and AI is making romance scams even more effective. Because GenAI tools can manipulate voice and video, they are potent tools for deceiving victims into sending money or divulging sensitive information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1420968426" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{125}">A woman in France was <a href="https://people.com/scammers-brad-pitt-swindled-woman-report-8774403" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced she was ‘dating’ actor Brad Pitt</a> and that he fell ill and needed money. The victim sent more than $800,000 directly to the scammer, believing she was saving Brad Pitt’s life.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1435995933" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{170}">Similarly, a woman in the US was <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/midwest/kevin-costner-scam-illinois-woman/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced to invest in a venture</a> by a person she believed was actor Kevin Costner. Over a 6-month period, she sent $62,000 to the scammer, all because of an illusion created by AI.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><p paraid="1328339412" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{217}">In the latest escalation, <a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/opinion/agentic-commerce-is-the-moment-fraudsters-have-been-waiting-for" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criminals are using agentic AI</a> to automate and scale how they perpetrate frauds. AI agents can communicate, open accounts, and transfer money while impersonating users and navigating digital experiences faster and easier than humans.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Tactics for Scams Detection and Scam Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="806054246" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{39}">Given the rapid evolution of these complex frauds, banks have an opportunity to improve how they detect and prevent scams. Four significant steps include:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ol role="list"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1087849030" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{53}"><strong>Enhance signals: </strong>Banks can take advantage of capabilities like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a>, which combines real-time telephony data with contextual customer and payment data in real time to inform the bank about the likelihood of a transaction being associated with a scam. This approach scales and improves detection and prevention across products, portfolios, and channels – and provides a basis to adjust and improve unique transactions and the data used to generate risk decisions over time.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="2"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1448469979" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{126}"><strong>Communicate live: </strong>Closing the loop between the bank and the account holder relies on communicating information, notifications, and alerts to customers through the right channels, at the right time, and then translating them into action. A notification of a scam in real-time as a customer is in the process of falling for APP fraud is an effective way to “break the spell” of the scammer and make the customer think twice before sending funds.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="3"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1269656872" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{178}"><strong>Implement robust verification processes: </strong>Scammers frequently try to impersonate someone, whether it is an authority figure, a “trusted” contact, a business associate, or a love interest. All transactions should be able to undergo thorough verification, including step-up authentication and extended review periods, to prevent authorized payments from being made to criminals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="4"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2099907295" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{230}"><strong>Collaborate with authorities: </strong>Work closely with regulatory bodies and law enforcement to stay ahead of emerging threats and have a positive influence on the required solutions. Collaboration across industries is crucial as well, just as banks, mobile operators, regulators, and solution providers are <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/scam-signal-solution-fico-and-jersey-telecom-wins-anti-fraud-award" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">cooperating in the UK to provide Scam Signal</a> and combat APP fraud.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><h2>How Consumers Can Protect Themselves from Scams</h2><p>Many sources offer scam advice, but it's always worth repeating the fundamentals:</p><ul><li>Never&nbsp;respond&nbsp;to&nbsp;unsolicited&nbsp;requests&nbsp;for personal information and do not share personal information via phone, text, instant messenger or any other unsecure way.</li><li>Enable multifactor authentication (MFA), avoiding text or email for one-time passcode sharing whenever&nbsp;possible.</li><li>Understand that scammers use social engineering and urgency&nbsp;to&nbsp;coerce immediate payments. Many of the details you share through social media can be used against you in a social engineering approach&nbsp;to&nbsp;scams.</li><li>Educate yourself on the differences in protection between peer-to-peer (P2P) payments channels and other payments products like credit cards. Treat P2P payments like cash transactions – in many cases, you cannot expect&nbsp;to&nbsp;get that cash back.</li><li>Pay attention&nbsp;to&nbsp;warnings and alerts during the payment process. Your bank or payment provider will often ask whether you’re sure that you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a specific payment, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;a new recipient. Heed any warnings and be sure you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a payment before you do so.</li><li>Before blindly proceeding with a payment, no matter the channel, take a minute&nbsp;to slow down and think carefully. If there’s an unnatural sense of urgency from someone&nbsp;to&nbsp;get money, step back and ask if you’re being scammed. A thoughtful pause can help prevent fraud, keep your accounts intact and see you well positioned for the future.</li><li>Stay up&nbsp;to&nbsp;date on existing and emerging kinds of scams. Resources like the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fscams&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca06462ea68cd4f78b07508ddb33faad5%7Cf9465cb178894d9ab552fdd0addf0eb1%7C0%7C0%7C638863808228057319%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SxOQt3%2FCqi1C8JPGjUQIaxUv1Q0PAaFu19%2FHg00Rg8c%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="Original URL: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams Click to follow link." target="_blank">FTC website</a>&nbsp;are a good way&nbsp;to&nbsp;stay informed about what kinds of scams are prevalent.</li></ul><p>One of our fraud experts, TJ Horan, wrote a good post about <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-do-if-you-fall-scam-3-examples" target="_blank">what to do if you fall for a scam</a>.</p><h2>How FICO Helps Scam Detection and Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="1894624905" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{8}">FICO is playing a key role working with banks, consumer organizations, mobile network operators, and regulators to combat fraud and financial crime. FICO’s capabilities, which leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions, enable financial institutions worldwide to detect and prevent scams, fraud and financial crimes more effectively. Clients can use <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-communicate-customers-about-possible-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">real-time communications</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">award-winning ML-driven scam detection models</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/analyst-report/beyond-point-solutions-orchestrating-future-fraud-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">end-to-end-orchestration</a> and more to consistently enhance their security measures, provide better protection for their customers, and remain responsive to the latest scams, frauds, and financial crime.&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="116650200" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{89}">Learn more about FICO’s approach to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/customer-lifecycle/protect-and-comply" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fraud protection and compliance</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="408097109" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{98}">Check out how you can <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/fighting-scams-ai-decisioning" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fight scams with AI Decisioning</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2032670492" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{109}">Discover the power of <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">omni-channel engagement for scam prevention</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div></div></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Debbie&#x20;Cobb</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Debbie Cobb is VP of Product Management, serving as the global product leader for FICO’s transactional fraud solutions including FICO Falcon Fraud Manager, FICO Falcon Compromise Manager and Card Alert Service. Debbie is responsible for the products’ strategic direction and enabling enterprise use cases across a global client base. Debbie has 25 years product management and product marketing experience in fraud management and financial services. Her roles have included developing a consumer authentication solution for Experian and managing credit and identity theft management applications. Debbie holds a B.A. from UCLA and an MBA from the Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:debbiecobb@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/survey-banks-face-regulatory-changes-increased-liability-scam-fraud">Survey: Banks Face Regulatory Changes, Increased Liability for Scam Fraud</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/detection-prevention-tackling-scams-every-angle">From Detection to Prevention – Tackling Scams from Every Angle</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:45:22 +0000 Debbie Cobb 19266 at https://www.fico.com/blogs How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">Authorized push payment fraud, aka scams, are exploding in volume and impact - banks should consider the role of AI in scam detection and prevention</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19266" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb">Debbie Cobb</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Vice President, Product Management </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-12T11:45:00Z" class="datetime">Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:45</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div><p paraid="1789253871" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{142}">Around the world, consumers have eagerly adopted real-time payments (RTP) through services like Faster Payments (UK), Pix (Brazil), UPI (India), and Zelle (USA). In many regions, these payments are the primary way that consumers move money, which is fundamentally changing the payments landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1749710698" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{158}">Fraudsters have taken note of this shift, and are targeting consumers directly. As I've discussed, <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorised-push-payment-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">authorized push payment (APP) fraud</a> incidents, also known as scams, have exploded and are becoming increasingly sophisticated, posing significant threats to both consumers and financial institutions. Criminals are using an ever-growing range of tactics and techniques that include impersonation scams, investment scams, romance scams and employment scams, just to name a few. &nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1216529123" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{209}">On the one hand, banks and other financial institutions need the right tools and approaches to detect and prevent scams, which include techniques powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. On the other hand, consumers must understand how to protect themselves,&nbsp; and learn what to look for as criminals adopt ever more sophisticated tactics like generative AI to conduct their scam activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud and Scams Flourish&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="653553313" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{22}">APP fraud, commonly known as scams, happen when victims are tricked into authorizing payments to fraudsters. This tactic has taken root globally and continued to grow, resulting in increasing losses for both consumers and banks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1688302268" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{54}">For example, <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/system/files/2025-05/UK%20Finance%20Annual%20Fraud%20report%202025.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">UK Finance reports</a> £450.7 million lost to authorized payment fraud in Britain in 2024, with just £267.1 million returned to customers. These numbers were similar in 2022 and 2023, confirming this long-term APP fraud trend has solidified and is not abating on its own.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="697953138" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{117}">Similar fraud challenges have expanded in Australia. <a href="https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/new-australian-law-makes-banks-telecoms-liable-for-scams-a-27516" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scams grew 18% between 2022 and 2023</a>, totaling AU$2.74 billion in losses. These were reported across more than 600,000 individual complaints for more than $4,500.00 in losses per case.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1210212766" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{162}">The problem has permeated the US too. The <a href="https:\\www.ic3.gov\AnnualReport\Reports\2024_IC3Report.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FBI’s annual IC3 report</a> tallied an average of 836,000 fraud complaints per year since 2020, or more than 4 million total, totaling $50.5 billion in losses – or $12,625.00 per report.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="866586824" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{195}">According to the FBI, the scams reported most – and by a significant margin – included phishing and spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Each of these scam tactics can and increasingly does lead directly either to APP fraud, or other digital banking frauds like account takeover:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><table class="table" style="border-style:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="b1e22f40-4681-498d-b420-dd8b1b15b45d" data-entity-type="file" class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="50" height="50" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Hook.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Phishing and spoofing are used to steal personal information, credentials, and one-time passcodes (OTPs). With those data points, criminals can commit fraud like unauthorized transactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="0bf965ed-4926-48e8-a9d9-56278eb3f47b" data-entity-type="file" alt class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="34" height="34" loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Mask.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Spoofing and impersonation are often used to commit APP fraud through victim extortion. Criminals will pretend to be someone of authority, or pretend to have compromising information about the victim, to convince victims that they must make a payment to avoid a negative outcome like being arrested.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="124428f2-2f98-4c4a-8019-7bfd848e4c85" data-entity-type="file" class="align-center img-fluid lazyload" width="36" height="36" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Breach.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Personal data breaches lead to password resets and account takeovers, and to exposure of sensitive data to the dark web. These breaches can feed data into criminal networks, which then use the compromised information to either extort victims or try to take over the victim’s account.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><p paraid="339665619" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{49}">Because scams and other financial crimes have become a continuous and financially painful problem for consumers, legislators and regulators have been under pressure to act.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Governments Respond with New Liability Rules&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="2041921480" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{85}">To address the worldwide scams problem, governments have begun to respond with rules and laws that make financial institutions liable for scam fraud losses. In these frameworks, liability typically means fines for the bank, and reimbursement of losses associated with scams not otherwise returned to customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="709236085" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{135}">New laws and rules relating to scams are accelerating the need for banks to invest in scams detection &amp; scam prevention technologies. For example, Australia’s new scams prevention framework is dubbed the “world’s toughest anti-scam laws”. It requires social media providers to verify their advertisers; telecoms to detect and disrupt scam phone numbers, calls, and texts; and banks to confirm payee identities. Failure to do so can result in fines up to AU$50 million.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1066871118" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{223}">In Spain, the <a href="https://www.abogacia.es/en/publicaciones/blogs/blog-de-derecho-de-los-los-consumidores/responsabilidad-de-los-bancos-ante-fraudes-digitales-nueva-sentencia-del-tribunal-supremo/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tribuno Supremo ruled</a> in favor of an Ibercaja bank customer after an account takeover scam. The customer was targeted with a phishing attack and their spouse’s SIM card was duplicated. The criminals reset the customer’s bank password by intercepting an OTP sent via SMS and stole €83,000. The bank recovered and returned €27,000. The customer sued the bank and was rewarded the difference, €56,000, plus interest, at the bank’s expense.&nbsp;</p></div><div><div><h2>The Role of AI Scams and Scam Defense&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="883939957" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{49}">Fraudsters are increasingly leveraging AI tools to enhance their scams. AI enables them to create more convincing deepfake video and audio content, to craft sophisticated phishing attacks, defeat some biometric security measures, and perpetrate outlandish and highly effective impersonation scams.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="557164041" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{71}">For example, the FBI’s 2024 IC3 report ranked “romance/confidence” scams as tenth most reported type of scam – and AI is making romance scams even more effective. Because GenAI tools can manipulate voice and video, they are potent tools for deceiving victims into sending money or divulging sensitive information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1420968426" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{125}">A woman in France was <a href="https://people.com/scammers-brad-pitt-swindled-woman-report-8774403" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced she was ‘dating’ actor Brad Pitt</a> and that he fell ill and needed money. The victim sent more than $800,000 directly to the scammer, believing she was saving Brad Pitt’s life.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1435995933" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{170}">Similarly, a woman in the US was <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/midwest/kevin-costner-scam-illinois-woman/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced to invest in a venture</a> by a person she believed was actor Kevin Costner. Over a 6-month period, she sent $62,000 to the scammer, all because of an illusion created by AI.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><p paraid="1328339412" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{217}">In the latest escalation, <a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/opinion/agentic-commerce-is-the-moment-fraudsters-have-been-waiting-for" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criminals are using agentic AI</a> to automate and scale how they perpetrate frauds. AI agents can communicate, open accounts, and transfer money while impersonating users and navigating digital experiences faster and easier than humans.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Tactics for Scams Detection and Scam Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="806054246" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{39}">Given the rapid evolution of these complex frauds, banks have an opportunity to improve how they detect and prevent scams. Four significant steps include:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ol role="list"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1087849030" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{53}"><strong>Enhance signals: </strong>Banks can take advantage of capabilities like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a>, which combines real-time telephony data with contextual customer and payment data in real time to inform the bank about the likelihood of a transaction being associated with a scam. This approach scales and improves detection and prevention across products, portfolios, and channels – and provides a basis to adjust and improve unique transactions and the data used to generate risk decisions over time.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="2"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1448469979" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{126}"><strong>Communicate live: </strong>Closing the loop between the bank and the account holder relies on communicating information, notifications, and alerts to customers through the right channels, at the right time, and then translating them into action. A notification of a scam in real-time as a customer is in the process of falling for APP fraud is an effective way to “break the spell” of the scammer and make the customer think twice before sending funds.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="3"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1269656872" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{178}"><strong>Implement robust verification processes: </strong>Scammers frequently try to impersonate someone, whether it is an authority figure, a “trusted” contact, a business associate, or a love interest. All transactions should be able to undergo thorough verification, including step-up authentication and extended review periods, to prevent authorized payments from being made to criminals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="4"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2099907295" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{230}"><strong>Collaborate with authorities: </strong>Work closely with regulatory bodies and law enforcement to stay ahead of emerging threats and have a positive influence on the required solutions. Collaboration across industries is crucial as well, just as banks, mobile operators, regulators, and solution providers are <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/scam-signal-solution-fico-and-jersey-telecom-wins-anti-fraud-award" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">cooperating in the UK to provide Scam Signal</a> and combat APP fraud.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><h2>How Consumers Can Protect Themselves from Scams</h2><p>Many sources offer scam advice, but it's always worth repeating the fundamentals:</p><ul><li>Never&nbsp;respond&nbsp;to&nbsp;unsolicited&nbsp;requests&nbsp;for personal information and do not share personal information via phone, text, instant messenger or any other unsecure way.</li><li>Enable multifactor authentication (MFA), avoiding text or email for one-time passcode sharing whenever&nbsp;possible.</li><li>Understand that scammers use social engineering and urgency&nbsp;to&nbsp;coerce immediate payments. Many of the details you share through social media can be used against you in a social engineering approach&nbsp;to&nbsp;scams.</li><li>Educate yourself on the differences in protection between peer-to-peer (P2P) payments channels and other payments products like credit cards. Treat P2P payments like cash transactions – in many cases, you cannot expect&nbsp;to&nbsp;get that cash back.</li><li>Pay attention&nbsp;to&nbsp;warnings and alerts during the payment process. Your bank or payment provider will often ask whether you’re sure that you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a specific payment, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;a new recipient. Heed any warnings and be sure you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a payment before you do so.</li><li>Before blindly proceeding with a payment, no matter the channel, take a minute&nbsp;to slow down and think carefully. If there’s an unnatural sense of urgency from someone&nbsp;to&nbsp;get money, step back and ask if you’re being scammed. A thoughtful pause can help prevent fraud, keep your accounts intact and see you well positioned for the future.</li><li>Stay up&nbsp;to&nbsp;date on existing and emerging kinds of scams. Resources like the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fscams&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca06462ea68cd4f78b07508ddb33faad5%7Cf9465cb178894d9ab552fdd0addf0eb1%7C0%7C0%7C638863808228057319%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SxOQt3%2FCqi1C8JPGjUQIaxUv1Q0PAaFu19%2FHg00Rg8c%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="Original URL: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams Click to follow link." target="_blank">FTC website</a>&nbsp;are a good way&nbsp;to&nbsp;stay informed about what kinds of scams are prevalent.</li></ul><p>One of our fraud experts, TJ Horan, wrote a good post about <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-do-if-you-fall-scam-3-examples" target="_blank">what to do if you fall for a scam</a>.</p><h2>How FICO Helps Scam Detection and Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="1894624905" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{8}">FICO is playing a key role working with banks, consumer organizations, mobile network operators, and regulators to combat fraud and financial crime. FICO’s capabilities, which leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions, enable financial institutions worldwide to detect and prevent scams, fraud and financial crimes more effectively. Clients can use <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-communicate-customers-about-possible-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">real-time communications</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">award-winning ML-driven scam detection models</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/analyst-report/beyond-point-solutions-orchestrating-future-fraud-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">end-to-end-orchestration</a> and more to consistently enhance their security measures, provide better protection for their customers, and remain responsive to the latest scams, frauds, and financial crime.&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="116650200" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{89}">Learn more about FICO’s approach to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/customer-lifecycle/protect-and-comply" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fraud protection and compliance</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="408097109" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{98}">Check out how you can <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/fighting-scams-ai-decisioning" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fight scams with AI Decisioning</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2032670492" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{109}">Discover the power of <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">omni-channel engagement for scam prevention</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div></div></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Debbie&#x20;Cobb</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Debbie Cobb is VP of Product Management, serving as the global product leader for FICO’s transactional fraud solutions including FICO Falcon Fraud Manager, FICO Falcon Compromise Manager and Card Alert Service. Debbie is responsible for the products’ strategic direction and enabling enterprise use cases across a global client base. Debbie has 25 years product management and product marketing experience in fraud management and financial services. Her roles have included developing a consumer authentication solution for Experian and managing credit and identity theft management applications. Debbie holds a B.A. from UCLA and an MBA from the Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:debbiecobb@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/survey-banks-face-regulatory-changes-increased-liability-scam-fraud">Survey: Banks Face Regulatory Changes, Increased Liability for Scam Fraud</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/detection-prevention-tackling-scams-every-angle">From Detection to Prevention – Tackling Scams from Every Angle</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:45:22 +0000 Debbie Cobb 19266 at https://www.fico.com/blogs How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">Authorized push payment fraud, aka scams, are exploding in volume and impact - banks should consider the role of AI in scam detection and prevention</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19266" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb">Debbie Cobb</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Vice President, Product Management </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-12T11:45:00Z" class="datetime">Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:45</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div><p paraid="1789253871" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{142}">Around the world, consumers have eagerly adopted real-time payments (RTP) through services like Faster Payments (UK), Pix (Brazil), UPI (India), and Zelle (USA). In many regions, these payments are the primary way that consumers move money, which is fundamentally changing the payments landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1749710698" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{158}">Fraudsters have taken note of this shift, and are targeting consumers directly. As I've discussed, <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorised-push-payment-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">authorized push payment (APP) fraud</a> incidents, also known as scams, have exploded and are becoming increasingly sophisticated, posing significant threats to both consumers and financial institutions. Criminals are using an ever-growing range of tactics and techniques that include impersonation scams, investment scams, romance scams and employment scams, just to name a few. &nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1216529123" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{209}">On the one hand, banks and other financial institutions need the right tools and approaches to detect and prevent scams, which include techniques powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. On the other hand, consumers must understand how to protect themselves,&nbsp; and learn what to look for as criminals adopt ever more sophisticated tactics like generative AI to conduct their scam activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud and Scams Flourish&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="653553313" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{22}">APP fraud, commonly known as scams, happen when victims are tricked into authorizing payments to fraudsters. This tactic has taken root globally and continued to grow, resulting in increasing losses for both consumers and banks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1688302268" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{54}">For example, <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/system/files/2025-05/UK%20Finance%20Annual%20Fraud%20report%202025.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">UK Finance reports</a> £450.7 million lost to authorized payment fraud in Britain in 2024, with just £267.1 million returned to customers. These numbers were similar in 2022 and 2023, confirming this long-term APP fraud trend has solidified and is not abating on its own.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="697953138" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{117}">Similar fraud challenges have expanded in Australia. <a href="https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/new-australian-law-makes-banks-telecoms-liable-for-scams-a-27516" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scams grew 18% between 2022 and 2023</a>, totaling AU$2.74 billion in losses. These were reported across more than 600,000 individual complaints for more than $4,500.00 in losses per case.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1210212766" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{162}">The problem has permeated the US too. The <a href="https:\\www.ic3.gov\AnnualReport\Reports\2024_IC3Report.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FBI’s annual IC3 report</a> tallied an average of 836,000 fraud complaints per year since 2020, or more than 4 million total, totaling $50.5 billion in losses – or $12,625.00 per report.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="866586824" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{195}">According to the FBI, the scams reported most – and by a significant margin – included phishing and spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Each of these scam tactics can and increasingly does lead directly either to APP fraud, or other digital banking frauds like account takeover:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><table class="table" style="border-style:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="b1e22f40-4681-498d-b420-dd8b1b15b45d" data-entity-type="file" class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="50" height="50" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Hook.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Phishing and spoofing are used to steal personal information, credentials, and one-time passcodes (OTPs). With those data points, criminals can commit fraud like unauthorized transactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="0bf965ed-4926-48e8-a9d9-56278eb3f47b" data-entity-type="file" alt class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="34" height="34" loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Mask.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Spoofing and impersonation are often used to commit APP fraud through victim extortion. Criminals will pretend to be someone of authority, or pretend to have compromising information about the victim, to convince victims that they must make a payment to avoid a negative outcome like being arrested.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="124428f2-2f98-4c4a-8019-7bfd848e4c85" data-entity-type="file" class="align-center img-fluid lazyload" width="36" height="36" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Breach.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Personal data breaches lead to password resets and account takeovers, and to exposure of sensitive data to the dark web. These breaches can feed data into criminal networks, which then use the compromised information to either extort victims or try to take over the victim’s account.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><p paraid="339665619" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{49}">Because scams and other financial crimes have become a continuous and financially painful problem for consumers, legislators and regulators have been under pressure to act.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Governments Respond with New Liability Rules&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="2041921480" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{85}">To address the worldwide scams problem, governments have begun to respond with rules and laws that make financial institutions liable for scam fraud losses. In these frameworks, liability typically means fines for the bank, and reimbursement of losses associated with scams not otherwise returned to customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="709236085" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{135}">New laws and rules relating to scams are accelerating the need for banks to invest in scams detection &amp; scam prevention technologies. For example, Australia’s new scams prevention framework is dubbed the “world’s toughest anti-scam laws”. It requires social media providers to verify their advertisers; telecoms to detect and disrupt scam phone numbers, calls, and texts; and banks to confirm payee identities. Failure to do so can result in fines up to AU$50 million.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1066871118" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{223}">In Spain, the <a href="https://www.abogacia.es/en/publicaciones/blogs/blog-de-derecho-de-los-los-consumidores/responsabilidad-de-los-bancos-ante-fraudes-digitales-nueva-sentencia-del-tribunal-supremo/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tribuno Supremo ruled</a> in favor of an Ibercaja bank customer after an account takeover scam. The customer was targeted with a phishing attack and their spouse’s SIM card was duplicated. The criminals reset the customer’s bank password by intercepting an OTP sent via SMS and stole €83,000. The bank recovered and returned €27,000. The customer sued the bank and was rewarded the difference, €56,000, plus interest, at the bank’s expense.&nbsp;</p></div><div><div><h2>The Role of AI Scams and Scam Defense&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="883939957" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{49}">Fraudsters are increasingly leveraging AI tools to enhance their scams. AI enables them to create more convincing deepfake video and audio content, to craft sophisticated phishing attacks, defeat some biometric security measures, and perpetrate outlandish and highly effective impersonation scams.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="557164041" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{71}">For example, the FBI’s 2024 IC3 report ranked “romance/confidence” scams as tenth most reported type of scam – and AI is making romance scams even more effective. Because GenAI tools can manipulate voice and video, they are potent tools for deceiving victims into sending money or divulging sensitive information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1420968426" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{125}">A woman in France was <a href="https://people.com/scammers-brad-pitt-swindled-woman-report-8774403" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced she was ‘dating’ actor Brad Pitt</a> and that he fell ill and needed money. The victim sent more than $800,000 directly to the scammer, believing she was saving Brad Pitt’s life.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1435995933" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{170}">Similarly, a woman in the US was <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/midwest/kevin-costner-scam-illinois-woman/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced to invest in a venture</a> by a person she believed was actor Kevin Costner. Over a 6-month period, she sent $62,000 to the scammer, all because of an illusion created by AI.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><p paraid="1328339412" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{217}">In the latest escalation, <a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/opinion/agentic-commerce-is-the-moment-fraudsters-have-been-waiting-for" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criminals are using agentic AI</a> to automate and scale how they perpetrate frauds. AI agents can communicate, open accounts, and transfer money while impersonating users and navigating digital experiences faster and easier than humans.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Tactics for Scams Detection and Scam Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="806054246" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{39}">Given the rapid evolution of these complex frauds, banks have an opportunity to improve how they detect and prevent scams. Four significant steps include:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ol role="list"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1087849030" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{53}"><strong>Enhance signals: </strong>Banks can take advantage of capabilities like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a>, which combines real-time telephony data with contextual customer and payment data in real time to inform the bank about the likelihood of a transaction being associated with a scam. This approach scales and improves detection and prevention across products, portfolios, and channels – and provides a basis to adjust and improve unique transactions and the data used to generate risk decisions over time.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="2"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1448469979" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{126}"><strong>Communicate live: </strong>Closing the loop between the bank and the account holder relies on communicating information, notifications, and alerts to customers through the right channels, at the right time, and then translating them into action. A notification of a scam in real-time as a customer is in the process of falling for APP fraud is an effective way to “break the spell” of the scammer and make the customer think twice before sending funds.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="3"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1269656872" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{178}"><strong>Implement robust verification processes: </strong>Scammers frequently try to impersonate someone, whether it is an authority figure, a “trusted” contact, a business associate, or a love interest. All transactions should be able to undergo thorough verification, including step-up authentication and extended review periods, to prevent authorized payments from being made to criminals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="4"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2099907295" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{230}"><strong>Collaborate with authorities: </strong>Work closely with regulatory bodies and law enforcement to stay ahead of emerging threats and have a positive influence on the required solutions. Collaboration across industries is crucial as well, just as banks, mobile operators, regulators, and solution providers are <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/scam-signal-solution-fico-and-jersey-telecom-wins-anti-fraud-award" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">cooperating in the UK to provide Scam Signal</a> and combat APP fraud.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><h2>How Consumers Can Protect Themselves from Scams</h2><p>Many sources offer scam advice, but it's always worth repeating the fundamentals:</p><ul><li>Never&nbsp;respond&nbsp;to&nbsp;unsolicited&nbsp;requests&nbsp;for personal information and do not share personal information via phone, text, instant messenger or any other unsecure way.</li><li>Enable multifactor authentication (MFA), avoiding text or email for one-time passcode sharing whenever&nbsp;possible.</li><li>Understand that scammers use social engineering and urgency&nbsp;to&nbsp;coerce immediate payments. Many of the details you share through social media can be used against you in a social engineering approach&nbsp;to&nbsp;scams.</li><li>Educate yourself on the differences in protection between peer-to-peer (P2P) payments channels and other payments products like credit cards. Treat P2P payments like cash transactions – in many cases, you cannot expect&nbsp;to&nbsp;get that cash back.</li><li>Pay attention&nbsp;to&nbsp;warnings and alerts during the payment process. Your bank or payment provider will often ask whether you’re sure that you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a specific payment, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;a new recipient. Heed any warnings and be sure you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a payment before you do so.</li><li>Before blindly proceeding with a payment, no matter the channel, take a minute&nbsp;to slow down and think carefully. If there’s an unnatural sense of urgency from someone&nbsp;to&nbsp;get money, step back and ask if you’re being scammed. A thoughtful pause can help prevent fraud, keep your accounts intact and see you well positioned for the future.</li><li>Stay up&nbsp;to&nbsp;date on existing and emerging kinds of scams. Resources like the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fscams&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca06462ea68cd4f78b07508ddb33faad5%7Cf9465cb178894d9ab552fdd0addf0eb1%7C0%7C0%7C638863808228057319%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SxOQt3%2FCqi1C8JPGjUQIaxUv1Q0PAaFu19%2FHg00Rg8c%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="Original URL: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams Click to follow link." target="_blank">FTC website</a>&nbsp;are a good way&nbsp;to&nbsp;stay informed about what kinds of scams are prevalent.</li></ul><p>One of our fraud experts, TJ Horan, wrote a good post about <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-do-if-you-fall-scam-3-examples" target="_blank">what to do if you fall for a scam</a>.</p><h2>How FICO Helps Scam Detection and Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="1894624905" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{8}">FICO is playing a key role working with banks, consumer organizations, mobile network operators, and regulators to combat fraud and financial crime. FICO’s capabilities, which leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions, enable financial institutions worldwide to detect and prevent scams, fraud and financial crimes more effectively. Clients can use <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-communicate-customers-about-possible-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">real-time communications</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">award-winning ML-driven scam detection models</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/analyst-report/beyond-point-solutions-orchestrating-future-fraud-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">end-to-end-orchestration</a> and more to consistently enhance their security measures, provide better protection for their customers, and remain responsive to the latest scams, frauds, and financial crime.&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="116650200" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{89}">Learn more about FICO’s approach to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/customer-lifecycle/protect-and-comply" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fraud protection and compliance</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="408097109" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{98}">Check out how you can <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/fighting-scams-ai-decisioning" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fight scams with AI Decisioning</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2032670492" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{109}">Discover the power of <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">omni-channel engagement for scam prevention</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div></div></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Debbie&#x20;Cobb</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Debbie Cobb is VP of Product Management, serving as the global product leader for FICO’s transactional fraud solutions including FICO Falcon Fraud Manager, FICO Falcon Compromise Manager and Card Alert Service. Debbie is responsible for the products’ strategic direction and enabling enterprise use cases across a global client base. Debbie has 25 years product management and product marketing experience in fraud management and financial services. Her roles have included developing a consumer authentication solution for Experian and managing credit and identity theft management applications. Debbie holds a B.A. from UCLA and an MBA from the Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:debbiecobb@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/survey-banks-face-regulatory-changes-increased-liability-scam-fraud">Survey: Banks Face Regulatory Changes, Increased Liability for Scam Fraud</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/detection-prevention-tackling-scams-every-angle">From Detection to Prevention – Tackling Scams from Every Angle</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:45:22 +0000 Debbie Cobb 19266 at https://www.fico.com/blogs How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">Authorized push payment fraud, aka scams, are exploding in volume and impact - banks should consider the role of AI in scam detection and prevention</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19266" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb">Debbie Cobb</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Vice President, Product Management </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-12T11:45:00Z" class="datetime">Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:45</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div><p paraid="1789253871" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{142}">Around the world, consumers have eagerly adopted real-time payments (RTP) through services like Faster Payments (UK), Pix (Brazil), UPI (India), and Zelle (USA). In many regions, these payments are the primary way that consumers move money, which is fundamentally changing the payments landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1749710698" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{158}">Fraudsters have taken note of this shift, and are targeting consumers directly. As I've discussed, <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorised-push-payment-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">authorized push payment (APP) fraud</a> incidents, also known as scams, have exploded and are becoming increasingly sophisticated, posing significant threats to both consumers and financial institutions. Criminals are using an ever-growing range of tactics and techniques that include impersonation scams, investment scams, romance scams and employment scams, just to name a few. &nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1216529123" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{209}">On the one hand, banks and other financial institutions need the right tools and approaches to detect and prevent scams, which include techniques powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. On the other hand, consumers must understand how to protect themselves,&nbsp; and learn what to look for as criminals adopt ever more sophisticated tactics like generative AI to conduct their scam activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud and Scams Flourish&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="653553313" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{22}">APP fraud, commonly known as scams, happen when victims are tricked into authorizing payments to fraudsters. This tactic has taken root globally and continued to grow, resulting in increasing losses for both consumers and banks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1688302268" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{54}">For example, <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/system/files/2025-05/UK%20Finance%20Annual%20Fraud%20report%202025.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">UK Finance reports</a> £450.7 million lost to authorized payment fraud in Britain in 2024, with just £267.1 million returned to customers. These numbers were similar in 2022 and 2023, confirming this long-term APP fraud trend has solidified and is not abating on its own.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="697953138" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{117}">Similar fraud challenges have expanded in Australia. <a href="https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/new-australian-law-makes-banks-telecoms-liable-for-scams-a-27516" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scams grew 18% between 2022 and 2023</a>, totaling AU$2.74 billion in losses. These were reported across more than 600,000 individual complaints for more than $4,500.00 in losses per case.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1210212766" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{162}">The problem has permeated the US too. The <a href="https:\\www.ic3.gov\AnnualReport\Reports\2024_IC3Report.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FBI’s annual IC3 report</a> tallied an average of 836,000 fraud complaints per year since 2020, or more than 4 million total, totaling $50.5 billion in losses – or $12,625.00 per report.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="866586824" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{195}">According to the FBI, the scams reported most – and by a significant margin – included phishing and spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Each of these scam tactics can and increasingly does lead directly either to APP fraud, or other digital banking frauds like account takeover:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><table class="table" style="border-style:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="b1e22f40-4681-498d-b420-dd8b1b15b45d" data-entity-type="file" class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="50" height="50" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Hook.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Phishing and spoofing are used to steal personal information, credentials, and one-time passcodes (OTPs). With those data points, criminals can commit fraud like unauthorized transactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="0bf965ed-4926-48e8-a9d9-56278eb3f47b" data-entity-type="file" alt class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="34" height="34" loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Mask.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Spoofing and impersonation are often used to commit APP fraud through victim extortion. Criminals will pretend to be someone of authority, or pretend to have compromising information about the victim, to convince victims that they must make a payment to avoid a negative outcome like being arrested.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="124428f2-2f98-4c4a-8019-7bfd848e4c85" data-entity-type="file" class="align-center img-fluid lazyload" width="36" height="36" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Breach.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Personal data breaches lead to password resets and account takeovers, and to exposure of sensitive data to the dark web. These breaches can feed data into criminal networks, which then use the compromised information to either extort victims or try to take over the victim’s account.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><p paraid="339665619" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{49}">Because scams and other financial crimes have become a continuous and financially painful problem for consumers, legislators and regulators have been under pressure to act.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Governments Respond with New Liability Rules&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="2041921480" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{85}">To address the worldwide scams problem, governments have begun to respond with rules and laws that make financial institutions liable for scam fraud losses. In these frameworks, liability typically means fines for the bank, and reimbursement of losses associated with scams not otherwise returned to customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="709236085" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{135}">New laws and rules relating to scams are accelerating the need for banks to invest in scams detection &amp; scam prevention technologies. For example, Australia’s new scams prevention framework is dubbed the “world’s toughest anti-scam laws”. It requires social media providers to verify their advertisers; telecoms to detect and disrupt scam phone numbers, calls, and texts; and banks to confirm payee identities. Failure to do so can result in fines up to AU$50 million.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1066871118" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{223}">In Spain, the <a href="https://www.abogacia.es/en/publicaciones/blogs/blog-de-derecho-de-los-los-consumidores/responsabilidad-de-los-bancos-ante-fraudes-digitales-nueva-sentencia-del-tribunal-supremo/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tribuno Supremo ruled</a> in favor of an Ibercaja bank customer after an account takeover scam. The customer was targeted with a phishing attack and their spouse’s SIM card was duplicated. The criminals reset the customer’s bank password by intercepting an OTP sent via SMS and stole €83,000. The bank recovered and returned €27,000. The customer sued the bank and was rewarded the difference, €56,000, plus interest, at the bank’s expense.&nbsp;</p></div><div><div><h2>The Role of AI Scams and Scam Defense&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="883939957" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{49}">Fraudsters are increasingly leveraging AI tools to enhance their scams. AI enables them to create more convincing deepfake video and audio content, to craft sophisticated phishing attacks, defeat some biometric security measures, and perpetrate outlandish and highly effective impersonation scams.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="557164041" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{71}">For example, the FBI’s 2024 IC3 report ranked “romance/confidence” scams as tenth most reported type of scam – and AI is making romance scams even more effective. Because GenAI tools can manipulate voice and video, they are potent tools for deceiving victims into sending money or divulging sensitive information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1420968426" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{125}">A woman in France was <a href="https://people.com/scammers-brad-pitt-swindled-woman-report-8774403" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced she was ‘dating’ actor Brad Pitt</a> and that he fell ill and needed money. The victim sent more than $800,000 directly to the scammer, believing she was saving Brad Pitt’s life.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1435995933" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{170}">Similarly, a woman in the US was <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/midwest/kevin-costner-scam-illinois-woman/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced to invest in a venture</a> by a person she believed was actor Kevin Costner. Over a 6-month period, she sent $62,000 to the scammer, all because of an illusion created by AI.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><p paraid="1328339412" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{217}">In the latest escalation, <a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/opinion/agentic-commerce-is-the-moment-fraudsters-have-been-waiting-for" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criminals are using agentic AI</a> to automate and scale how they perpetrate frauds. AI agents can communicate, open accounts, and transfer money while impersonating users and navigating digital experiences faster and easier than humans.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Tactics for Scams Detection and Scam Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="806054246" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{39}">Given the rapid evolution of these complex frauds, banks have an opportunity to improve how they detect and prevent scams. Four significant steps include:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ol role="list"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1087849030" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{53}"><strong>Enhance signals: </strong>Banks can take advantage of capabilities like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a>, which combines real-time telephony data with contextual customer and payment data in real time to inform the bank about the likelihood of a transaction being associated with a scam. This approach scales and improves detection and prevention across products, portfolios, and channels – and provides a basis to adjust and improve unique transactions and the data used to generate risk decisions over time.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="2"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1448469979" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{126}"><strong>Communicate live: </strong>Closing the loop between the bank and the account holder relies on communicating information, notifications, and alerts to customers through the right channels, at the right time, and then translating them into action. A notification of a scam in real-time as a customer is in the process of falling for APP fraud is an effective way to “break the spell” of the scammer and make the customer think twice before sending funds.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="3"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1269656872" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{178}"><strong>Implement robust verification processes: </strong>Scammers frequently try to impersonate someone, whether it is an authority figure, a “trusted” contact, a business associate, or a love interest. All transactions should be able to undergo thorough verification, including step-up authentication and extended review periods, to prevent authorized payments from being made to criminals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="4"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2099907295" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{230}"><strong>Collaborate with authorities: </strong>Work closely with regulatory bodies and law enforcement to stay ahead of emerging threats and have a positive influence on the required solutions. Collaboration across industries is crucial as well, just as banks, mobile operators, regulators, and solution providers are <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/scam-signal-solution-fico-and-jersey-telecom-wins-anti-fraud-award" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">cooperating in the UK to provide Scam Signal</a> and combat APP fraud.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><h2>How Consumers Can Protect Themselves from Scams</h2><p>Many sources offer scam advice, but it's always worth repeating the fundamentals:</p><ul><li>Never&nbsp;respond&nbsp;to&nbsp;unsolicited&nbsp;requests&nbsp;for personal information and do not share personal information via phone, text, instant messenger or any other unsecure way.</li><li>Enable multifactor authentication (MFA), avoiding text or email for one-time passcode sharing whenever&nbsp;possible.</li><li>Understand that scammers use social engineering and urgency&nbsp;to&nbsp;coerce immediate payments. Many of the details you share through social media can be used against you in a social engineering approach&nbsp;to&nbsp;scams.</li><li>Educate yourself on the differences in protection between peer-to-peer (P2P) payments channels and other payments products like credit cards. Treat P2P payments like cash transactions – in many cases, you cannot expect&nbsp;to&nbsp;get that cash back.</li><li>Pay attention&nbsp;to&nbsp;warnings and alerts during the payment process. Your bank or payment provider will often ask whether you’re sure that you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a specific payment, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;a new recipient. Heed any warnings and be sure you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a payment before you do so.</li><li>Before blindly proceeding with a payment, no matter the channel, take a minute&nbsp;to slow down and think carefully. If there’s an unnatural sense of urgency from someone&nbsp;to&nbsp;get money, step back and ask if you’re being scammed. A thoughtful pause can help prevent fraud, keep your accounts intact and see you well positioned for the future.</li><li>Stay up&nbsp;to&nbsp;date on existing and emerging kinds of scams. Resources like the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fscams&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca06462ea68cd4f78b07508ddb33faad5%7Cf9465cb178894d9ab552fdd0addf0eb1%7C0%7C0%7C638863808228057319%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SxOQt3%2FCqi1C8JPGjUQIaxUv1Q0PAaFu19%2FHg00Rg8c%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="Original URL: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams Click to follow link." target="_blank">FTC website</a>&nbsp;are a good way&nbsp;to&nbsp;stay informed about what kinds of scams are prevalent.</li></ul><p>One of our fraud experts, TJ Horan, wrote a good post about <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-do-if-you-fall-scam-3-examples" target="_blank">what to do if you fall for a scam</a>.</p><h2>How FICO Helps Scam Detection and Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="1894624905" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{8}">FICO is playing a key role working with banks, consumer organizations, mobile network operators, and regulators to combat fraud and financial crime. FICO’s capabilities, which leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions, enable financial institutions worldwide to detect and prevent scams, fraud and financial crimes more effectively. Clients can use <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-communicate-customers-about-possible-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">real-time communications</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">award-winning ML-driven scam detection models</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/analyst-report/beyond-point-solutions-orchestrating-future-fraud-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">end-to-end-orchestration</a> and more to consistently enhance their security measures, provide better protection for their customers, and remain responsive to the latest scams, frauds, and financial crime.&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="116650200" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{89}">Learn more about FICO’s approach to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/customer-lifecycle/protect-and-comply" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fraud protection and compliance</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="408097109" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{98}">Check out how you can <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/fighting-scams-ai-decisioning" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fight scams with AI Decisioning</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2032670492" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{109}">Discover the power of <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">omni-channel engagement for scam prevention</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div></div></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Debbie&#x20;Cobb</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Debbie Cobb is VP of Product Management, serving as the global product leader for FICO’s transactional fraud solutions including FICO Falcon Fraud Manager, FICO Falcon Compromise Manager and Card Alert Service. Debbie is responsible for the products’ strategic direction and enabling enterprise use cases across a global client base. Debbie has 25 years product management and product marketing experience in fraud management and financial services. Her roles have included developing a consumer authentication solution for Experian and managing credit and identity theft management applications. Debbie holds a B.A. from UCLA and an MBA from the Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:debbiecobb@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/survey-banks-face-regulatory-changes-increased-liability-scam-fraud">Survey: Banks Face Regulatory Changes, Increased Liability for Scam Fraud</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/detection-prevention-tackling-scams-every-angle">From Detection to Prevention – Tackling Scams from Every Angle</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:45:22 +0000 Debbie Cobb 19266 at https://www.fico.com/blogs How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-scam-prevention-and-scam-detection-help-banks-and-customers <header class="header--blog ned--bg-light UTF-8" data-bg-class="ned--bg-light"> <div class="header header--1"> <div class="container"> <div id="block-fico-v3-breadcrumbs" class="block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block"> <style> .breadcrumb .breadcrumb-item + .breadcrumb-item:before { padding-right: 0.5rem; } </style> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="row no-gutters"> <ul class="breadcrumb ps-0 col-md-8"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="https://www.fico.com/en">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <a href="/blogs/">Blog</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb-item"> <b> FICO </b> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-content-col"> <div class="header-content"> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How Scam Prevention and Scam Detection Help Banks and Customers</span> <h2 class="text-align-center text-hero">Authorized push payment fraud, aka scams, are exploding in volume and impact - banks should consider the role of AI in scam detection and prevention</h2> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-image field--type-entity-reference field--label-above header-image field__item"><div class="media media--type-image media--view-mode-default"> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-16T20:54:14+00:00" class="datetime">Wed, 07/16/2025 - 20:54</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"><span>JenniferPiccinino@fico.com</span></div> <div class="field field--name-thumbnail field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2025-07/AdobeStock_507863034.jpeg.webp?itok=jLQFzQ8w" width="100" height="67" alt="man holding up fists as to throw a punch" class="img-fluid image-style-thumbnail" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <section data-history-node-id="19266" class="blog-post blog-post--full"> <div class="container"> <div class="row gx-5"> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__left-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <div class="blog-post--author__block"> <div class="blog-post__author"> <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb" class="blog-post__author__image"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> </a> <span class="blog-post__author__name"> by <a href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb">Debbie Cobb</a> </span> <p class="blog-post__author__short_description"> Vice President, Product Management </p> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--vertical visible-lg justify-content-lg-start"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing" class="jssocials-vertical"></div> </div> </div> <div class="back-to-top ned--bg-light visible-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> <span>Back to top</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-8"> <p class="blog-post__date text-eyebrow"> <time datetime="2026-02-12T11:45:00Z" class="datetime">Thu, 02/12/2026 - 11:45</time> </p> <div class="blog-post__content basic-content"> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div><p paraid="1789253871" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{142}">Around the world, consumers have eagerly adopted real-time payments (RTP) through services like Faster Payments (UK), Pix (Brazil), UPI (India), and Zelle (USA). In many regions, these payments are the primary way that consumers move money, which is fundamentally changing the payments landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1749710698" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{158}">Fraudsters have taken note of this shift, and are targeting consumers directly. As I've discussed, <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-authorised-push-payment-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">authorized push payment (APP) fraud</a> incidents, also known as scams, have exploded and are becoming increasingly sophisticated, posing significant threats to both consumers and financial institutions. Criminals are using an ever-growing range of tactics and techniques that include impersonation scams, investment scams, romance scams and employment scams, just to name a few. &nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1216529123" paraeid="{b0761ad3-90e9-48a7-85c3-fc2964ecf99a}{209}">On the one hand, banks and other financial institutions need the right tools and approaches to detect and prevent scams, which include techniques powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. On the other hand, consumers must understand how to protect themselves,&nbsp; and learn what to look for as criminals adopt ever more sophisticated tactics like generative AI to conduct their scam activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud and Scams Flourish&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="653553313" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{22}">APP fraud, commonly known as scams, happen when victims are tricked into authorizing payments to fraudsters. This tactic has taken root globally and continued to grow, resulting in increasing losses for both consumers and banks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1688302268" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{54}">For example, <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/system/files/2025-05/UK%20Finance%20Annual%20Fraud%20report%202025.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">UK Finance reports</a> £450.7 million lost to authorized payment fraud in Britain in 2024, with just £267.1 million returned to customers. These numbers were similar in 2022 and 2023, confirming this long-term APP fraud trend has solidified and is not abating on its own.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="697953138" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{117}">Similar fraud challenges have expanded in Australia. <a href="https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/new-australian-law-makes-banks-telecoms-liable-for-scams-a-27516" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scams grew 18% between 2022 and 2023</a>, totaling AU$2.74 billion in losses. These were reported across more than 600,000 individual complaints for more than $4,500.00 in losses per case.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1210212766" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{162}">The problem has permeated the US too. The <a href="https:\\www.ic3.gov\AnnualReport\Reports\2024_IC3Report.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FBI’s annual IC3 report</a> tallied an average of 836,000 fraud complaints per year since 2020, or more than 4 million total, totaling $50.5 billion in losses – or $12,625.00 per report.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="866586824" paraeid="{2423867c-424c-410d-9e3f-951070f66090}{195}">According to the FBI, the scams reported most – and by a significant margin – included phishing and spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Each of these scam tactics can and increasingly does lead directly either to APP fraud, or other digital banking frauds like account takeover:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><table class="table" style="border-style:none;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="b1e22f40-4681-498d-b420-dd8b1b15b45d" data-entity-type="file" class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="50" height="50" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Hook.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Phishing and spoofing are used to steal personal information, credentials, and one-time passcodes (OTPs). With those data points, criminals can commit fraud like unauthorized transactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="0bf965ed-4926-48e8-a9d9-56278eb3f47b" data-entity-type="file" alt class="align-left img-fluid lazyload" width="34" height="34" loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Mask.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Spoofing and impersonation are often used to commit APP fraud through victim extortion. Criminals will pretend to be someone of authority, or pretend to have compromising information about the victim, to convince victims that they must make a payment to avoid a negative outcome like being arrested.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style="border-style:none;"><figure><img data-entity-uuid="124428f2-2f98-4c4a-8019-7bfd848e4c85" data-entity-type="file" class="align-center img-fluid lazyload" width="36" height="36" alt loading="lazy" data-src="/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/original/public/inline-images/Breach.png.webp" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs="></figure></td><td style="border-style:none;">Personal data breaches lead to password resets and account takeovers, and to exposure of sensitive data to the dark web. These breaches can feed data into criminal networks, which then use the compromised information to either extort victims or try to take over the victim’s account.&nbsp;&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><p paraid="339665619" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{49}">Because scams and other financial crimes have become a continuous and financially painful problem for consumers, legislators and regulators have been under pressure to act.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Governments Respond with New Liability Rules&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="2041921480" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{85}">To address the worldwide scams problem, governments have begun to respond with rules and laws that make financial institutions liable for scam fraud losses. In these frameworks, liability typically means fines for the bank, and reimbursement of losses associated with scams not otherwise returned to customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="709236085" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{135}">New laws and rules relating to scams are accelerating the need for banks to invest in scams detection &amp; scam prevention technologies. For example, Australia’s new scams prevention framework is dubbed the “world’s toughest anti-scam laws”. It requires social media providers to verify their advertisers; telecoms to detect and disrupt scam phone numbers, calls, and texts; and banks to confirm payee identities. Failure to do so can result in fines up to AU$50 million.&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="1066871118" paraeid="{b4200b51-482e-426e-ad70-4c7fa8a273d5}{223}">In Spain, the <a href="https://www.abogacia.es/en/publicaciones/blogs/blog-de-derecho-de-los-los-consumidores/responsabilidad-de-los-bancos-ante-fraudes-digitales-nueva-sentencia-del-tribunal-supremo/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tribuno Supremo ruled</a> in favor of an Ibercaja bank customer after an account takeover scam. The customer was targeted with a phishing attack and their spouse’s SIM card was duplicated. The criminals reset the customer’s bank password by intercepting an OTP sent via SMS and stole €83,000. The bank recovered and returned €27,000. The customer sued the bank and was rewarded the difference, €56,000, plus interest, at the bank’s expense.&nbsp;</p></div><div><div><h2>The Role of AI Scams and Scam Defense&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="883939957" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{49}">Fraudsters are increasingly leveraging AI tools to enhance their scams. AI enables them to create more convincing deepfake video and audio content, to craft sophisticated phishing attacks, defeat some biometric security measures, and perpetrate outlandish and highly effective impersonation scams.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><p paraid="557164041" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{71}">For example, the FBI’s 2024 IC3 report ranked “romance/confidence” scams as tenth most reported type of scam – and AI is making romance scams even more effective. Because GenAI tools can manipulate voice and video, they are potent tools for deceiving victims into sending money or divulging sensitive information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1420968426" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{125}">A woman in France was <a href="https://people.com/scammers-brad-pitt-swindled-woman-report-8774403" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced she was ‘dating’ actor Brad Pitt</a> and that he fell ill and needed money. The victim sent more than $800,000 directly to the scammer, believing she was saving Brad Pitt’s life.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="7" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1435995933" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{170}">Similarly, a woman in the US was <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/midwest/kevin-costner-scam-illinois-woman/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">convinced to invest in a venture</a> by a person she believed was actor Kevin Costner. Over a 6-month period, she sent $62,000 to the scammer, all because of an illusion created by AI.&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><p paraid="1328339412" paraeid="{209bf883-7240-4860-b057-94c91309afb6}{217}">In the latest escalation, <a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/opinion/agentic-commerce-is-the-moment-fraudsters-have-been-waiting-for" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criminals are using agentic AI</a> to automate and scale how they perpetrate frauds. AI agents can communicate, open accounts, and transfer money while impersonating users and navigating digital experiences faster and easier than humans.&nbsp;</p></div><div><h2>Tactics for Scams Detection and Scam Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="806054246" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{39}">Given the rapid evolution of these complex frauds, banks have an opportunity to improve how they detect and prevent scams. Four significant steps include:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div><div><ol role="list"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1087849030" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{53}"><strong>Enhance signals: </strong>Banks can take advantage of capabilities like <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/scam-signal-real-time-scam-detection-and-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Scam Signal</a>, which combines real-time telephony data with contextual customer and payment data in real time to inform the bank about the likelihood of a transaction being associated with a scam. This approach scales and improves detection and prevention across products, portfolios, and channels – and provides a basis to adjust and improve unique transactions and the data used to generate risk decisions over time.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="2"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1448469979" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{126}"><strong>Communicate live: </strong>Closing the loop between the bank and the account holder relies on communicating information, notifications, and alerts to customers through the right channels, at the right time, and then translating them into action. A notification of a scam in real-time as a customer is in the process of falling for APP fraud is an effective way to “break the spell” of the scammer and make the customer think twice before sending funds.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="3"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="1269656872" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{178}"><strong>Implement robust verification processes: </strong>Scammers frequently try to impersonate someone, whether it is an authority figure, a “trusted” contact, a business associate, or a love interest. All transactions should be able to undergo thorough verification, including step-up authentication and extended review periods, to prevent authorized payments from being made to criminals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol role="list" start="4"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[65533,0],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;%1.&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2099907295" paraeid="{bea692c9-724c-4348-8dbb-c6071881c5bf}{230}"><strong>Collaborate with authorities: </strong>Work closely with regulatory bodies and law enforcement to stay ahead of emerging threats and have a positive influence on the required solutions. Collaboration across industries is crucial as well, just as banks, mobile operators, regulators, and solution providers are <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/scam-signal-solution-fico-and-jersey-telecom-wins-anti-fraud-award" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">cooperating in the UK to provide Scam Signal</a> and combat APP fraud.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><h2>How Consumers Can Protect Themselves from Scams</h2><p>Many sources offer scam advice, but it's always worth repeating the fundamentals:</p><ul><li>Never&nbsp;respond&nbsp;to&nbsp;unsolicited&nbsp;requests&nbsp;for personal information and do not share personal information via phone, text, instant messenger or any other unsecure way.</li><li>Enable multifactor authentication (MFA), avoiding text or email for one-time passcode sharing whenever&nbsp;possible.</li><li>Understand that scammers use social engineering and urgency&nbsp;to&nbsp;coerce immediate payments. Many of the details you share through social media can be used against you in a social engineering approach&nbsp;to&nbsp;scams.</li><li>Educate yourself on the differences in protection between peer-to-peer (P2P) payments channels and other payments products like credit cards. Treat P2P payments like cash transactions – in many cases, you cannot expect&nbsp;to&nbsp;get that cash back.</li><li>Pay attention&nbsp;to&nbsp;warnings and alerts during the payment process. Your bank or payment provider will often ask whether you’re sure that you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a specific payment, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;a new recipient. Heed any warnings and be sure you want&nbsp;to&nbsp;make a payment before you do so.</li><li>Before blindly proceeding with a payment, no matter the channel, take a minute&nbsp;to slow down and think carefully. If there’s an unnatural sense of urgency from someone&nbsp;to&nbsp;get money, step back and ask if you’re being scammed. A thoughtful pause can help prevent fraud, keep your accounts intact and see you well positioned for the future.</li><li>Stay up&nbsp;to&nbsp;date on existing and emerging kinds of scams. Resources like the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fscams&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca06462ea68cd4f78b07508ddb33faad5%7Cf9465cb178894d9ab552fdd0addf0eb1%7C0%7C0%7C638863808228057319%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SxOQt3%2FCqi1C8JPGjUQIaxUv1Q0PAaFu19%2FHg00Rg8c%3D&amp;reserved=0" title="Original URL: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams Click to follow link." target="_blank">FTC website</a>&nbsp;are a good way&nbsp;to&nbsp;stay informed about what kinds of scams are prevalent.</li></ul><p>One of our fraud experts, TJ Horan, wrote a good post about <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/what-do-if-you-fall-scam-3-examples" target="_blank">what to do if you fall for a scam</a>.</p><h2>How FICO Helps Scam Detection and Prevention&nbsp;</h2></div><div><p paraid="1894624905" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{8}">FICO is playing a key role working with banks, consumer organizations, mobile network operators, and regulators to combat fraud and financial crime. FICO’s capabilities, which leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven solutions, enable financial institutions worldwide to detect and prevent scams, fraud and financial crimes more effectively. Clients can use <a href="https://www.fico.com/blogs/how-communicate-customers-about-possible-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">real-time communications</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/solution-sheet/retail-banking-consumer-payments-model-scam-score" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">award-winning ML-driven scam detection models</a>, <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/analyst-report/beyond-point-solutions-orchestrating-future-fraud-prevention" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">end-to-end-orchestration</a> and more to consistently enhance their security measures, provide better protection for their customers, and remain responsive to the latest scams, frauds, and financial crime.&nbsp;</p></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="116650200" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{89}">Learn more about FICO’s approach to <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/customer-lifecycle/protect-and-comply" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fraud protection and compliance</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="408097109" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{98}">Check out how you can <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/latest-thinking/white-paper/fighting-scams-ai-decisioning" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fight scams with AI Decisioning</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div><div><ul role="list"><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="8" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1" role="listitem"><p paraid="2032670492" paraeid="{99eb4a8b-8cd8-4682-856e-8b832c6a9309}{109}">Discover the power of <a href="https://www.fico.com/en/solutions/customer-communications-fraud" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">omni-channel engagement for scam prevention</a>&nbsp;</p></li></ul></div></div></div> </div> <div class="blog-post__author__description"> <div class="author-box"> <img src="https://www.fico.com/blogs/sites/blogficodotcom/files/styles/xs/public/pictures/2022-08/Debbie%20Cobb.jpg.webp?itok=gQ88_lvY" alt="Debbie&#x20;Cobb" /> <div class="author-container"> <h5>Debbie&#x20;Cobb</h5> <div class="author-bio"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Debbie Cobb is VP of Product Management, serving as the global product leader for FICO’s transactional fraud solutions including FICO Falcon Fraud Manager, FICO Falcon Compromise Manager and Card Alert Service. Debbie is responsible for the products’ strategic direction and enabling enterprise use cases across a global client base. Debbie has 25 years product management and product marketing experience in fraud management and financial services. Her roles have included developing a consumer authentication solution for Experian and managing credit and identity theft management applications. Debbie holds a B.A. from UCLA and an MBA from the Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine.</div> </div> <div class="author-links"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/author/debbie-cobb"> See all posts </a> <div class="author-social-group"> <a href="mailto:debbiecobb@fico.com" title="share via email"><i class="fas fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-post__button_home"> <a class="text-link" href="/blogs/"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">chevron_left</i> <span>Blog home</span> </a> </div> <div class="blog-post__social blog-post__social--center hidden-lg"> <div data-toggle="social-sharing"></div> </div> <div class="back-to-top-mobile ned--bg-light hidden-lg"> <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#"> <i class="material-icons materials-filling materials-styles">expand_less</i> Back to top </a> </div> </div> <div class="col-xl-2 blog-post__related-posts blog-post__right-column"> <div class="blog-post--full__sticky"> <span class="blog-post__related-posts__title">RELATED POSTS</span> <div class="blog-post__related-posts__links"> <div class="block block-fico-v5-blog block-fico-related-nodes-block"> <div><a href="/blogs/survey-banks-face-regulatory-changes-increased-liability-scam-fraud">Survey: Banks Face Regulatory Changes, Increased Liability for Scam Fraud</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/real-time-payments-4-requirements-scam-protection-systems">Real-Time Payments: 4 Requirements for Scam Protection Systems</a></div> <div><a href="/blogs/detection-prevention-tackling-scams-every-angle">From Detection to Prevention – Tackling Scams from Every Angle</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:45:22 +0000 Debbie Cobb 19266 at https://www.fico.com/blogs