NEW YORK, NY – Jan 2026 – Corporate fraud is becoming faster, more convincing, and harder to detect as artificial intelligence reshapes attack methods and payment operations accelerate, according to new data.
The report shows that fraud tactics are evolving more quickly than many corporate defenses. 71% of organizations report an increase in AI powered fraud attempts over the past 12 months, underscoring how rapidly fraudsters are adopting tools that allow them to scale impersonation and social engineering schemes across email, web, and phone channels. Download the full report for more insights.
2026 Key Fraud Trends
- AI-powered payment fraud is accelerating faster than human controls can keep up, exposing the limits of manual reviews and callbacks.
- Regulatory expectations are rising, but readiness is uneven, with many organizations still unprepared for Nacha 2026 and stricter audit requirements.
- Vendor data quality remains a hidden vulnerability, as confidence in data accuracy outpaces the consistency of validation processes.
- Faster payments are shrinking reaction time, making continuous, automated fraud controls essential to protect modern payment operations.
What Payment Fraud Looks Like in 2026
Payment fraud in 2026 is no longer limited to a single tactic or channel. The study shows a fragmented and expanding threat landscape, where fraudsters combine multiple methods to increase their chances of success.
Invoice fraud remains the most common form of attack, reported by 58% of organizations, as fraudsters exploit routine payment processes and vendor trust. Wire transfer fraud follows closely at 38%, reflecting continued exposure around high-value, time-sensitive payments. Vendor and supplier fraud (29%) and executive impersonation schemes (29%) also remain prevalent, often overlapping with invoice or payment redirection scams.
The channels used to deliver these attacks are equally diverse. Business Email Compromise (BEC) continues to dominate, experienced by 62% of companies, but fraud is not confined to email alone. Nearly half of organizations report fraud attempts via fake websites (48%) and text message scams (45%), while 44% have encountered phone-based impersonation. Social media impersonation and misinformation campaigns are also emerging, affecting more than a quarter of respondents.
“ What we’re seeing is a significant increase in the sophistication and targeting of fraud attacks. fraudsters now have access to much richer data sets and far more advanced tools. This makes fraud much harder to detect. Traditional indicators that used to work well are becoming less effective” Gloria Wan, Kinexys by JPMorgan
The Rise of Generative AI-Powered Payment Fraud
AI has become a central driver of fraud evolution. Nearly 47% of respondents say AI generated fraud is now one of their biggest challenges in fraud prevention, while 58% believe fraudsters are evolving faster than humans can respond.
These findings point to a growing imbalance between the speed of modern fraud schemes and the human centered controls still relied on by many organizations. AI tools are enabling fraudsters to replicate language, timing, and sender identity with greater precision, making traditional detection methods less reliable.
“What used to be occasional, low-quality scams are now frequent, well-timed, and extremely convincing. AI has removed many of the obvious red flags we used to rely on, like poor spelling or awkward formatting. These attempts look legitimate, they arrive at the right moment, and they’re designed to deceive experienced professionals.” Lee-Ann Perkins, Ankura Consulting
When Manual Fraud Prevention Meets AI-Driven Fraud
Despite the acceleration of AI driven fraud, many companies continue to depend on manual processes to fight financial crime. The report finds that 48% of companies still rely on methods such as human callbacks or email confirmations to validate vendor bank account information.
As fraud attempts become more frequent and more convincing, these approaches are increasingly strained. Reliance on manual validation slows response times, creates inconsistencies, and increases exposure as payment volumes and attack complexity grow.
“The biggest concern for me is the imbalance we’re seeing. Fraudsters can innovate every day, it’s their full-time job. Meanwhile, many companies are still relying on manual, reactive controls.” Lee-Ann Perkins, Ankura Consulting
Staying Ahead of New Fraud-Related Requirements
Regulation is adding new urgency to fraud prevention efforts. Only 57% of respondents say they are confident their organization will meet the upcoming Nacha 2026 requirements for payee validation.
Awareness of these requirements remains uneven, leaving many organizations with limited time to adapt their processes. Nacha 2026 reflects a broader shift toward proactive, auditable payment controls and companies that delay modernization may face increasing pressure. More information on the Nacha requirements is available on the organization’s official website.
“Good-faith effort is no longer enough. Companies must demonstrate consistent monitoring, training, documentation, and prevention. That requires automation and auditable processes, not just policies on paper.”Lee-Ann Perkins, Ankura Consulting
Unreliable Vendor Data at the Foundations of Emerging Threats
Vendor data is a foundational weakness. While 77% of organizations express confidence in the accuracy of their vendor banking data, controls are often applied inconsistently across the procure to pay process.
Only 32% validate vendor bank account data continuously, and 13% do not validate it at all. These gaps allow outdated or manipulated data to persist, creating opportunities for fraudsters to redirect payments or exploit change requests. These practices are directly connected to increased fraud exposure.
“Without continuous validation, teams are trusting static data in a very dynamic risk environment. And because many stakeholders touch data across the P2P process, this becomes a shared responsibility, not something treasury can manage in isolation.” Lee-Ann Perkins, Ankura Consulting
Speed vs Security: The New Risks of Business Operations
Operational acceleration is further narrowing the margin for error. 75% of organizations now use or plan to use instant payments, significantly reducing the time available to detect fraud before funds move.
“Real-time payments significantly raise the stakes. As settlement speeds increase – especially in B2B use cases – the window to detect and stop fraud shrinks dramatically.”Gloria Wan, Kinexys by JPMorgan
At the same time, 32% report accelerating changes to their supplier base due to economic or geopolitical uncertainty. Together, these trends increase reliance on speed and trust at moments when verification is most critical. These pressures are reshaping fraud risk across payment operations.
Payment Fraud’s Impact Goes Further Than Financial Loss
The impact of fraud extends well beyond money. One in four organizations report experiencing six figure fraud impacts, and 45% say they spent multiple days responding to their most recent incident.
Operational disruption is cited by 36% of respondents as the primary non financial consequence of fraud, reflecting the time, strain, and internal friction caused by investigations, remediation, and process reviews. Fraud is increasingly viewed as a broader business risk rather than a purely financial issue.
Taking on Emerging Threats: Fraud Prevention Strategies for 2026
There are signs of progress. 50% of organizations increased their fraud prevention budgets over the past year, and 58% expect fraud to increase again in 2026, showing a positive rise in awareness.
While training remains a priority, awareness alone cannot counter highly scalable, AI driven fraud schemes. Organizations need to rebalance people, process, and technology as they adapt their defenses. Automated account validation, delivered by solutions like Trustpair, enables organizations to stay ahead of fraud risk by ensuring payments are sent to the intended beneficiary—not a fraudster.
“AI has raised the baseline of fraud,” said Baptiste Collot, CEO of Trustpair. “Attacks are more sophisticated and easier to scale. Many organizations are realizing that manual controls and human judgment alone are no longer enough to protect modern payment operations.”
Fraud Trends and Strategies: Protect Your Business With Trustpair
Trustpair helps global organizations prevent payment fraud by automating real time bank account ownership verification. The enterprise grade platform integrates with major procurement and finance systems and supports secure payments at scale. Trustpair works with leading companies worldwide and operates globally with offices in New York City, Paris, London, and Milan.