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NEWSLETTER

Fraud in Focus

Your Ultimate Source for Fraud-Fighting News and Insights

Brought to you by Spec's CEO & Co-Founder, Nate Kharrl, Fraud in Focus delivers the most interesting, unfiltered takes on the top fraud stories shaping the industry. Whether you’re tackling threats at a global level or staying ahead of everyday scams, we’ve got you covered.

Each week, Fraud in Focus is packed with insights, tools, and stories that keep you informed, engaged, and ready for action.

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cryptocurrency
FIF26 - Apr 15, 2025
DOJ Shuts Down Crypto Fraud Unit, Sextortation Scams Surging, Trump Targets SentinelOne

The Trump administration has officially disbanded the Department of Justice’s crypto fraud enforcement unit. The directive tells prosecutors to drop ongoing investigations into exchanges, mixers, wallets, and other platforms.

> Read More

app-2
FIF26 - Apr 8, 2025
Inside the AI Agent Surge: What Fraud Fighters Need to Know

Agentic AI is being used to improve cybersecurity, including autonomous threat detection and response. While promising, there's a recurring theme: a heavy focus on defense, and very little discussion of how attackers might use these same tools.

> Read More

visa-vamp
FIF25 - Apr 1, 2025
Browser Use VC Funding, Visa Delays VAMP, US Pulls Back Fraud Enforcement

Visa has once again delayed its Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP), pushing implementation from April to October 2025, and extending the probationary period for merchants flagged by the program through January 2026.

> Read More

march-madness-betting
FIF24 - Mar 25, 2025
Retail Impersonation Fraud, March Madness Betting, Attackers Using AI Too

For fraud teams in payments, fintech, and gaming, this is a reminder to tighten identity verification, watch for unusual betting activity, and monitor for scam betting sites impersonating real platforms. Fraudsters will be betting big this season—make sure they don’t win.

> Read More

ai-agent
FIF23 - Mar 4, 2025
AI Agents Bypass Detection, Exposed GitHub Data Leaking Through Copilot, Tap-to-Phone Merchant Fraud

Fraudsters are increasingly layering AI browsing agents into their attack scripts, making it easier to navigate login flows, complete transactions, and bypass step-up challenges—all while appearing eerily human. 

> Read More

influencers3
FIF22 - Feb 25, 2025
Chase Blocks Zelle Payments to Influencers, Consumer Protection, U.S. Govt Networks Exposed

Chase will block Zelle transactions to individuals selling goods on social media. The decision comes as Zelle-related fraud and disputes continue to pile up, with buyers getting scammed by fake sellers and banks increasingly unwilling to eat the losses.

> Read More

meta-romance-scams
FIF21 - Feb 18, 2025
Rise of Returns Fraud, Meta's Ongoing Scam Problems, Growing APP Fraud Crisis

With billions of users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, fraudsters have plenty of opportunities to impersonate, manipulate, and exploit victims. Meta is now introducing new safety measures in an attempt to curb abuse.

> Read More

wired-image-marketplace
FIF20 - Feb 11, 2025
Largest Illicit Online Marketplace, Scam Compound Update, Cyber Fraud in 2024

A Cambodian-linked online marketplace has processed $24 billion in transactions. The platform is expanding aggressively, adding its own messaging app, cryptocurrency exchange, and stablecoin.

> Read More

cracked
FIF19 - FEB 4, 2025
Cracked.io Takedown, X & Visa Digital Wallet, Alarming Rise of Phishing Attacks

Law enforcement finally took down Cracked.io, a cybercrime marketplace that had been operating in the open since 2018. The numbers are staggering: 17 million victims in the U.S. alone had their data exposed through the platform.

> Read More

qr-code
FIF18 - JAN 28, 2025
QR Code Scams on the Rise, Sophisticated Gmail Phishing Attack, Citigroup's Latest Legal Battle

Report warns of malicious QR code scams, where fraudsters replace legitimate codes with ones that redirect users to phishing sites, install malware, or steal login credentials.

> Read More

online-gambling
FIF17 - JAN 21, 2025
Online Gambling Fraud Crisis, AI-Driven Romance Scams, Cash App Fraud Reimbursements

Fraudsters are exploiting weak authentication measures to commit financial fraud, launder money, and use synthetic identities to place bets.

> Read More

doubleclickjacking
FIF16 - JAN 14, 2025
Unconventional Tactics Fuel PayPal ATOs, Gmail AI Exploited for OTP, DoubleClickjacking Exploits

DoubleClickjacking tricks users into unknowingly granting permissions or clicking on malicious links through deceptive overlays and interactive ads. 

> Read More

brushing-scams
FIF15 - JAN 7, 2025
Online Dating Scams, Brushing Scams, Current Hot SMS Scams: New Year, Same Tricks

Victims of brushing scams are often unaware that their information has been used to create fake orders.

> Read More

Zelle_Header
FIF14 - DEC 24, 2024
Zelle Under Fire, Google Chrome Tests AI to Combat Scams, Krispy Kreme Hack

The CFPB has filed lawsuits against JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, alleging that the banks allowed fraud to flourish on Zelle. 

> Read More

meta-fraud-intelligence
FIF13 - DEC 17, 2024
Meta's Fraud Intelligence Program, Who Should Foot the Bill for Cyber Scams?, Scam Shipping Notifications

Meta has launched its Fraud Intelligence Program to combat the rising tide of online fraud across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

> Read More

chinese-teen2
FIF12 - DEC 10, 2024
AI-Powered Bots, WhatsApp’s Role in Cyber Fraud, Digital Arrest Scams

Frank McKenna recently highlighted the alarming rise of digital arrest scams, which have already devastated thousands of victims. Fraudsters posing as law enforcement accuse victims of fabricated crimes, then coerce them into isolation to extort them for money.

> Read More

t-mobile.png
FIF11 - DEC 3, 2024
T-Mobile Breach, Stablecoin Scams, Sophisticated Taylor Swift Ticket Fraud

T-Mobile has suffered yet another data breach, with the Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon compromising systems and exfiltrating sensitive customer data. The breach reportedly impacted nearly 37 million accounts.

> Read More

pexels-suzyhazelwood-1661951
FIF10 - NOV 26, 2024
Holiday Fraud Surge, Gift Card Scams, and Donation Fraud

Gift cards have become one of the easiest ways for fraudsters to steal money. Recent reports highlight how scammers are ramping up their efforts, preying on victims through unsolicited calls, emails, or messages asking for payment via gift cards.

> Read More

pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4901990
FIF9 - NOV 19, 2024
Google's Online Fraud & Scams Advisory, Fraud Network Exposed, Gen Z's Digital Fraud Rings

From a $1 million DoorDash scam to a significant crypto heist, Connecticut’s Gen Z fraudsters have been linked to some of the most sophisticated online crimes of the year.

> Read More

1730683053247
FIF8 - NOV 12, 2024
Exploiting Password Resets, Bank Scam Warnings Fall Short, Fighting APP Fraud

From ATO trends in marketplaces to new partnerships aimed at tackling payment fraud, it’s clear that no sector is immune. Let’s dive into what’s happening and the lessons we can take away‍.

> Read More

ivoted
FIF7 - NOV 5, 2024
Election Scams: Deepfakes and Digital Deception at the Polls

For fraud fighters, this election was a case study in how AI can manipulate trust at scale. From deceptive deepfakes to websites preying on voter sentiment.

> Read More

change-healthcare
FIF6 - Oct 29, 2024
The Change Healthcare Breach: A Wake-Up Call for Data Security

The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare exposed sensitive data for 100 million people, marking one of the largest healthcare breaches in recent memory.

> Read More

phishng
FIF5 - Oct 22, 2024
GitHub Phishing and the Abuse of Trusted Platforms

Attackers are leveraging GitHub’s infrastructure on a new tax-themed malware campaign as a way to bypass security measures and deliver Remcos RAT...

> Read More

face-cloning
FIF4 - OCT 15, 2024
The AI Face Cloning Crisis: A New Challenge for Fintech

The rise of AI-generated deepfakes is turning the world of identity verification upside down.

> Read More

fan-machine
FIF3 - OCT 8, 2024
Instagram “Automatic Fan” Machines Fueling the Dead Internet Theory

This trend is fueling the “Dead Internet Theory,” which posits that the internet is gradually being taken over by AI-generated content and bots, reducing authentic human interaction.

> Read More

gig-work
FIF2 - OCT 1, 2024
Off-platform Marketplace Scams Targeting Gig-Workers

We’re seeing an uptick in marketplace scams related to getting a user to divulge information like their phone number or email address, which fraudsters use to target them with tailored phishing scams.

> Read More

telegram-scam
FIF1 - SEP 24, 2024
If Fraudsters Flee Telegram, Do We Know Where They’re Headed?

There’s potential for impact if these products have to fundamentally build new attacker surveillance product in order to stay accurate if members of these groups flee to the four corners of the internet.

> Read More

payment fraud

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