Fraud news and trends

US Firms Are Main Targets for Cyberattacks, Intelligence Chief Tells Senate
Cybersecurity // May 02, 2024

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told Congress Thursday (May 2) that there has been an alarming increase in cyberattacks worldwide. Haines highlighted the growing threat of ransomware attacks, which saw a 74% rise in 2023, CNBC reported Thursday. Speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on global...

Private Equity Firm Permira Acquires Majority Stake in Fraud Prevention Firm BioCatch
Acquisitions // May 02, 2024

Private equity company Permira has acquired a majority stake in Israeli fraud/financial crime prevention provider BioCatch.  The agreement, announced Thursday (May 2), values BioCatch at $1.3 billion, and comes amid a rising demand for fraud prevention solutions. Permira’s acquisition comes almost exactly a year after the...

Visa Stresses Education as Small Businesses Confront Fraud Vulnerabilities
Fraud Attack // May 02, 2024

Most crimes, as the saying goes, are crimes of opportunity. And that’s bad news for small businesses, whose lack of resources and challenges when accessing financing often leaves them ill-prepared for fraud schemes and scams — particularly given the shot in the arm that innovations...

Are Real-Time Payments Near an Inflection Point? Bank of America Thinks So
Real-Time Payments // May 02, 2024

Use cases for real-time payments have never been a source of argument, even among detractors. The ability to speed bill payment and peer-to-peer flows, as well as move money instantly, has been around for a while. The FedNow® Service debuted last summer, while The Clearing House’s RTP® network has been operating since 2017....

Interviews & Exclusives
Visa Stresses Education as Small Businesses Confront Fraud Vulnerabilities

May 02, 2024
Most crimes, as the saying goes, are crimes of opportunity. And that’s bad news for small businesses, whose lack of resources and challenges when accessing financing often leaves them ill-prepared for fraud schemes and scams — particularly given the shot in the arm that innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) have given to bad actors. “Larger […]

Are Real-Time Payments Near an Inflection Point? Bank of America Thinks So

May 02, 2024
Use cases for real-time payments have never been a source of argument, even among detractors. The ability to speed bill payment and peer-to-peer flows, as well as move money instantly, has been...

Mastercard: ‘Movies’ Not ‘Snapshots’ of Consumer Behavior Help Banks Counter Scams

May 01, 2024
Scams, regrettably, are a feature — not a bug — of modern, digital payments and commerce.  And in an era where technology has become increasingly sophisticated, so too have the...

Simplicity Defines the Small Business Online Payments Playbook

April 29, 2024
Moving a business online can be rewarding as enterprises reach broader audiences, sometimes global in scope, and expand their revenue opportunities with online payments. But challenges persist, whether it’s a...

Quick Reads
US Firms Are Main Targets for Cyberattacks, Intelligence Chief Tells Senate

May 02, 2024
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told Congress Thursday (May 2) that there has been an alarming increase in cyberattacks worldwide. Haines highlighted the growing threat of ransomware attacks, which saw a 74% rise in 2023, CNBC reported Thursday. Speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on global threats, Haines emphasized the disruptive impact that has been seen in cyberattacks […]

Private Equity Firm Permira Acquires Majority Stake in Fraud Prevention Firm BioCatch

May 02, 2024
Private equity company Permira has acquired a majority stake in Israeli fraud/financial crime prevention provider BioCatch.  The agreement, announced Thursday (May 2), values BioCatch at $1.3 billion, and comes amid a...

UnitedHealth Still ‘Trying to Dig Through’ Cause of Cyberattack

May 01, 2024
UnitedHealth’s CEO said the company is still investigating a security failure behind a massive cyberattack. Testifying before the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday (May 1), Andrew Witty said the company has...

UnitedHealth Group CEO Said Hackers Struck Via Citrix Portal

April 29, 2024
UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty will testify Wednesday (May 1) that hackers broke into its Change Healthcare unit’s systems through the Citrix portal. “On February 12, criminals used compromised credentials to remotely access a Change...