As a Certified Fraud Examiner®, I am always considering the next wave of fraud prevention and awareness strategies. As part of that effort, I frequently attend and participate in fraud-related conferences and seminars that discuss the latest trends, new types of scams and the latest tips to avoid becoming a victim.

In the past dozen conferences I’ve attended, several topics have repeatedly shown up in our conversations. While the methods, media and manipulation tactics of the fraud industry continue to change, this piece focuses on the common threads that remain the same.

Fraud themes to watch

1. Fraud comes for us all – scammers don’t discriminate.

Fraudsters may target certain weaknesses in our information and identify protections, but we must remember that everyone is vulnerable to some exposure or breach at some point in time. There are simply too many ways for individual data to be accessed for anyone to feel invincible.

Scammers also cast a wide net for many of their schemes. A Pew Research study from 2025‡ indicates 68% of U.S. adults report receiving scam phone calls at least weekly that attempt to gather their personal information.

2. Fraudsters study people and processes to exploit weaknesses.

From grifters to Ponzi schemers, and from embezzlers to romance scammers, they all have this in common. Criminals are smart and take time to understand your habits, watch your routines, learn your accounts and find the best way to infiltrate either your trust or inattention.

Be a hard target by keeping private information offline as much as possible, remaining cautious and skeptical of emails, calls, texts and more, and engaging your financial institution as a resource if you’re concerned about the legitimacy of an interaction.

3. Keep your wits about you.

One of the topics fraud prevention experts talk about most is the psychology of fraud, including trying to analyze the manipulation tactics scammers and con artists use on their targets.

They research the tactics and techniques bad actors use to incite impulsive actions in their victims, including creating a false sense of urgency or building a false romantic or trusted relationship. In this the data is very clear: fraud is a financial crime involving deliberate manipulation, trickery and deception.

4. Your banker is your ally.

If your bank has questions for you related to your account activity or access, it’s not because they’re trying to scold you for doing something wrong or pry into your personal business.

Have a conversation with your banker about new transactions or uncommon transaction types, whether that’s an international wire, large cash withdrawal or cashier’s check you’ll be mailing. And, be especially wary if someone is asking you to lie or conceal financial transactions – this is a common fraud tactic that only helps the criminal.

If you are a victim of fraud, provide as much information to your banker and the police as you can. Not only does this provide a starting point to attempt recovery, but the details you provide also can help shed light on scam trends or new scams.

5. We don’t know the full extent of fraud.

Nationwide and worldwide, fraud goes underreported. Some estimates indicate only about 20% of fraud is reported to law enforcement or federal/state agencies. When we see statistics like $16 billion in consumer fraud losses reported to the FTC in 2025‡, we know the actual loss is likely much, much greater.

According to the Associated Press‡, reviewing a report by Gallup, 75% of those scammed in 2025 didn’t report the fraud because they assumed it wouldn’t help, and 58% didn’t report because they didn’t know how or where to report.

Do you know where to report a scam? Bookmark reporting websites or save a checklist that walks you through how to report fraud and fraud attempts so you have a plan in the event you’re impacted by fraud:

6. Investment scams are serious.

Nearly every demographic has reported being targeted for investment schemes, including those related to cryptocurrency, too-good-to-be-true, high-yield investments, fake stock manipulation, and the unfortunately named pig butchering scam. In 2025 alone, more than $8.6 billion was reported‡ as lost to various investment frauds.

The fight against fraud cannot be won without education and vigilance from everyone. Take the initiative to learn about fraud, understand the red flags, know how to report a crime and closely monitor your financial and online activity.

Check the UMB Privacy and Security Center to learn more about risk-mitigation best practices and view security alerts.

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