Fraudology Podcast with Karisse Hendrick

In this episode of Fraudology, host Karisse Hendrick welcomes back Marc Evans, a veteran Las Vegas detective and the founder of Fraud Hero. Marc provides an on-the-ground debrief of the rapidly shifting fraud landscape, sharing front-line insights into how criminal organizations are pivoting their tactics as traditional cash-out methods vanish.
The conversation explores the dramatic downfall of major crypto ATM networks, highlighted by the recent bankruptcy of Bitcoin Depot, the country's largest operator. Marc details how local regulations and strict transaction caps have inadvertently decimated the crypto ATM business model , proving just how much of their revenue was quietly subsidized by elder abuse and organized crime. We look at what happens when 9,000 machines go offline overnight and how scammers are reacting to losing one of their favorite liquidation tools.
We also explore the "hot topics" dominating the fraud landscape today:
The AI Social Engineering Force Multiplier: How threat actors are combining generative AI with classic psychological manipulation to automate hyper-realistic phishing, clone voices, and scale scams to unprecedented levels.
The Cognitive Bias of Automation: Why our increasing reliance on LLMs to summarize emails and messages is actively dulling human critical thinking, causing professionals and consumers alike to miss glaring red flags.
The "Scam Formula" Framework: A breakdown of the universal four-part mechanics—the Hook, the Story, the Urgency, and the Payment —and how the simple mantra of "Pause, Think, Verify" can disrupt a fraudster's spell.

Additionally, Marc dives into the terrifying rise of digital extortion targeting a new demographic: teenagers under 17. We break down the latest FBI IC3 data showing how AI-driven sextortion schemes are uniquely impacting youth across the country , highlighting why fraud education must urgently expand beyond senior citizens to protect the next generation.

In this episode of Fraudology, Karisse Hendrick comes to you from a beachside work-cation in Florida to deliver an essential debrief on the latest shifts in the e-commerce fraud landscape. Fresh off the Accertify Global Customer Summit, Karisse shares key strategic takeaways on why cybersecurity and fraud teams must break down operational silos as fraud signals increasingly move up-funnel.
The conversation takes a critical look at the limitations of relying on Large Language Models (LLMs) in risk management. Highlighting a recent blunder where a Top 4 consultancy published a 44-page fraud report riddled with completely fabricated citations and footnotes, Karisse and Dr. Nicola Harding explain why "domain expertise" cannot be automated. Because true fraud insights are kept proprietary to protect them from criminals, open-source AI tools are inherently prone to "hallucinating" facts.
We also break down Mastercard's newly announced Scam Merchant Dashboard, which officially goes into effect on July 24th, 2026. This aggressive program places a heavy burden on e-commerce merchants and their acquirers through a multi-trigger framework designed to shut down predatory accounts.
Key pillars of Mastercard’s new program include:
The Authorization Performance Breakdown: A sudden drop in approval rates—such as a 50 percentage point decline or falling below a 30% overall threshold within a 72-hour window—will immediately trigger an investigation.

The New Merchant 5% "Math": For accounts open less than six months, Mastercard is introducing a brand-new metric: combining refunds and chargebacks divided by overall sales. Crossing a 5% threshold over a rolling 30-day period (with at least 500 transactions) risks immediate account review.

The 72-Hour Termination Clock: Once flagged by issuer complaints or network alerts, acquirers have a strict 72-hour window to either prove the merchant's legitimacy or completely terminate their ability to accept Mastercard.

In this episode of Fraudology, Karisse Hendrick is joined by Robert Siciliano, a world-renowned security analyst, bestselling author, and the architect of the Strategic Human Firewall. While the industry often obsesses over technological solutions, Robert explores why humans—not hackers—remain the ultimate deciding factor in organizational security.
The conversation dives deep into the "Human Blind Spot"—our biological instinct to trust that often overrides digital suspicion. Robert shares his unconventional journey from the streets of Boston to becoming a leading security educator, including the time he bought a working ATM on Craigslist to prove how easily data breaches can be purchased.
We also explore the critical shift from "Security Awareness" to "Security Appreciation":
The Compliance Trap: Why traditional phishing simulations and "check-the-box" training often lead to security fatigue and victim shaming.

The Strategic Human Firewall: How to transform employees from passive targets into active detection layers by filtering intent rather than just traffic.

The Kitchen Table Effect: Why the most effective security training is personal, encouraging employees to protect their families so they naturally protect their companies.

Overcoming Fatalism: A direct look at why people resist security measures like password managers and home alarms, and how to bridge the "Appreciation Gap" through empathetic dialogue.

In this episode of Fraudology, host Karisse Hendrick is joined by a guest she has been trying to bring back to the show for years: Holly Sandberg, a veteran leader in fraud operations, Americas Advisory Board at MRC and the former Director of Trust and Safety at Reverb. As the industry grapples with the rapid rise of Generative AI, Holly and Karisse cut through the "robot takeover" anxiety to provide a grounded, expert perspective on the future of fraud leadership.
The conversation explores the evolving mechanics of AI in trust and safety, detailing why the "human element" remains the ultimate force multiplier for technical models. Holly shares why senior fraud leadership cannot be replaced by LLMs, noting that the critical "domain expertise" required to manage sophisticated fraud—and spot model drift—is not found in open-source data.
We also explore the "hot topics" dominating the fraud landscape today:
The AI Visibility Strategy: Why volunteering for AI steering committees and working cross-functionally is the best way to prove your indispensability to leadership.
Hallucinations and Data Gaps: A deep dive into the "bias toward certainty" in AI, featuring a hilarious yet cautionary example of "pizza fraud" hallucinations and the risks of depending on LLMs for math and complex policy.
Career Resilience in a Changing Market: Tactical advice on navigating layoffs, the "quiet rehiring" trend, and how to pitch your value for a promotion by focusing on what you will do, rather than just what you’ve done.

In this episode of Fraudology, Karisse Hendrick provides a comprehensive update on the shifting tides of the fraud industry, from international takedowns to the growing pains of AI-driven commerce. Karisse dives into the latest news and personal insights gathered from her network, cutting through the industry hype to provide practical realities for fraud and payments professionals.
The conversation explores the evolving mechanics of Agentic AI in commerce and how the major card brands are reacting to it. Karisse provides an inside look at new protection frameworks, such as American Express’s "ACE Developer Kit," and contrasts them with the current lack of "compelling evidence" provisions for AI agents at Visa and Mastercard.
We also explore the "hot topics" dominating the fraud landscape today:
The Scam Center Strike Force: A breakdown of recent DOJ actions against Southeast Asian criminal organizations, the seizure of $700 million in cryptocurrency, and the sobering reality of human trafficking victims trapped in these compounds.
The Positive Lure Phishing Scam: Why hackers are spoofing platforms like Paperless Post and Evite to bypass traditional "fear-based" training, using our desire for community to harvest credentials and install malware.
The Human Element vs. AI: Why senior fraud leadership cannot be replaced by LLMs. Karisse explains how the critical "domain expertise" and "institutional knowledge" required to manage sophisticated fraud are not found in the open-source data that powers AI.

The Fraud Job Market Crisis: A candid look at the recent wave of layoffs affecting veteran fraud fighters, the trend of "pay band reductions," and strategic advice for those navigating a saturated and increasingly centralized job market.