October 2026
PYMNTS Data Dives

Fast Money Needs Faster Fraud Checks

Fraud attempts are rising, but nearly half of firms still can’t detect suspicious activity in real time or within minutes. Slow reviews add another cost by delaying or rejecting legitimate payments. This report examines the gaps in firms’ defenses and the opportunity to catch fraud sooner while keeping good payments moving.

Header image for the PYMNTS Intelligence October 2026 Payment Protection Data Dive. PYMNTS Intelligence examines fraud detection gaps, payment delays and the role of real-time account checks in protecting payments.

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    Fraud is putting more pressure on payment systems just as money is moving faster. Firms are adding stronger defenses, but the data shows gaps in detection speed, customer friction and readiness for new fraud-monitoring requirements. The opportunity is increasingly clear: Use the tools firms already have to identify risk earlier and act before the money moves.

    Firms Face Rising Fraud Risk and Detection Gaps

    Fraud Pressure Rises

    57% of firms say they’re seeing more fraud attempts than one year ago. More than half of firms say attempts are increasing, while just 13% report a decline. Incoming customer payments are the biggest area of concern.

    Detection Still Lags

    47% of firms can’t detect suspected fraud in real time or within minutes. Firms use multiple fraud controls before approving payments, but nearly half still can’t identify suspicious activity quickly enough.

    Verification Speeds Fraud Detection

    60% of firms that verify account ownership in real time detect suspected fraud in real time or within minutes. That compares with just 38% of firms that don’t verify account ownership in real time. Verifiers are two times as likely to catch fraud before funds move (21% versus 10%).

    Manual Reviews Backfire

    71% of firms cite manual review bottlenecks as a leading cause of false declines or payment delays. Slow reviews can create their own payment problems. Overly conservative rules follow closely at 69%, while insufficient customer data ranks third at 63%.

    Readiness Remains Low

    6.0% of firms say they’re fully ready for stronger ACH fraud-monitoring requirements. Most firms report progress, but full readiness remains rare. Integration with existing systems is the top hurdle for 38% of firms not fully ready.

    Methodology

    “Fast Money Needs Faster Fraud Checks” is based on the August 2026 report, Payment Protection: Why Firms Still Aren’t Real-Time Ready. PYMNTS Intelligence surveyed 150 senior executives at the vice-president level or above at firms across seven money-movement-intensive industries. The double-blind U.S. survey was conducted from May 18 to June 1, 2026, and respondents had direct involvement in at least two payment functions. Results reflect executives’ assessments of their organizations and are reported at the total-sample level.

    About

    PYMNTS INTELLIGENCE

    PYMNTS Intelligence is a leading global data and analytics platform that uses proprietary data and methods to provide actionable insights on what’s now and what’s next in payments, commerce and the digital economy. Its team of data scientists includes leading economists, econometricians, survey experts, financial analysts and marketing scientists with deep experience in the application of data to the issues that define the future of the digital transformation of the global economy. This multilingual team has conducted original data collection and analysis in more than three dozen global markets for some of the world’s leading publicly traded and privately held firms.

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