Podcast

What the F Happened? Fraud and Financial Crime, Deconstructed

A fraud and financial crime podcast breaking down the real-world threats and defenses shaping today’s financial ecosystem to prepare you for what’s next.

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Listen to the Latest Episodes

Listen to our latest episodes for expert insights on fraud and AML strategies.
Episode 9 | Monthly Brief: March 2026 - CFPB, FinCEN, & OCC Changes
Transcript

In this episode, we break down the biggest regulatory, technological, and operational shifts shaping fraud and AML in 2026.

From open banking APIs and CFPB Rule 1033 to FinCEN’s beneficial ownership relief, risk-based OCC exams, and new Nacha monitoring expectations, institutions are being pushed toward a new reality: reactive compliance is no longer enough. The industry must move toward real-time, AI-driven defense.

We also explore the growing AI readiness gap, the rise of deepfakes, synthetic identities, and coordinated fraud rings, and why many institutions are struggling to keep pace with attackers using generative AI.

Along the way, we examine real-world case studies showing how organizations are reducing manual reviews, lowering customer friction, and detecting fraud in milliseconds.

In this episode:

  • Why 2026 regulatory changes are reshaping fraud and AML operations
  • The hidden risks of open banking and API-based data access
  • How AI is changing both fraud attacks and defenses
  • What the “AI readiness gap” means for banks, fintechs, and credit unions
  • Why unified fraud + AML strategies are becoming essential

If you work in fraud, risk, compliance, or payments, this deep dive will help you understand the forces reshaping financial crime, and the questions every institution should be asking right now.

Episode 8 | Webinar Recap - Fraud & AML Executive Insights for 2026
Transcript

In this Webinar Highlights episode, we unpack one of the biggest tensions facing financial institutions today: how to defend against AI-powered fraud while operating under tightening regulatory and compliance pressure. Recapping our session on Fraud & AML Executive Insights for 2026 with Yinglian Xie (CEO & Founder, DataVisor), Brian Hughes (President, Brian Hughes Consulting & Board Director of Affirm), David Barnhardt (Strategic Advisor, Datos Insights), and Ted Josephson (VP Fraud Strategy, Synchrony), this episode captures the urgency, debate, and forward-looking strategies shared during the live discussion

You’ll hear highlights on:

  • The AI paradox: how fraudsters are scaling attacks with generative AI while banks face regulatory and model risk constraints
  • The rise of real-time payments, friction frameworks, and the need to balance customer experience with fraud prevention
  • The convergence of Fraud + AML (FRAML), AI copilots for investigators, and what agentic commerce means for the future of financial crime
Episode 7 | Analysis - NACHA 2026 Rule Changes Explained
Transcript

The ACH network is about to undergo one of its biggest shifts in decades — and many institutions aren’t fully prepared for what’s coming.

In this episode, we break down the 2026 Nacha Operating Rules, what they actually require, and why they represent a fundamental change in how fraud risk must be managed across the payment lifecycle. Instead of focusing only on unauthorized transactions, institutions will now be expected to proactively detect suspicious authorized payments driven by scams and social engineering.

This episode explores:

  • Why “credit-push fraud” is driving these changes
  • The biggest operational shift — new responsibilities for receiving banks
  • How standardized transaction labels like PAYROLL and PURCHASE enable detection
  • The tension between faster payments and proactive fraud prevention
  • What happens if institutions fail to comply

This episode cuts through the regulatory language to explain what really changes on March 20, 2026 — and why the future of banking may look less like a passive money mover and more like an active risk guardian.

Episode 6 | Analysis - Regulatory Expectations Around Explainable AI
Transcript

In this Analysis, we examine why explainability, not just accuracy, has become the new standard for AI in fraud and AML, as regulators demand clear, defensible decision-making from financial institutions.

This episode explores:

  • Why “the model said so” is no longer an acceptable answer under regulatory scrutiny
  • The difference between transparency and true explainability—and why it matters in audits
  • The four capabilities that turn AI from a black box into a defensible control

Read the full analysis and related research: https://www.datavisor.com/blog/regulatory-expectations-around-explainable-ai

Episode 5 | Monthly Brief - February 2026: Nacha and Proactive Detection
Transcript

In this February Monthly Brief, we break down what Nacha’s latest guidance signals for fraud and compliance teams—and why proactive detection is quickly becoming the new baseline.

From evolving ACH risk expectations to the rise of coordinated fraud and AI-enabled attacks, this episode explores what’s changing across the payments ecosystem and what financial institutions should be prioritizing right now. We cover how modern fraud programs are moving upstream, shifting from reactive investigations to real-time detection, and why flexibility across data, models, and workflows matters more than ever.

Listen in for practical takeaways on:

  • What Nacha’s updates mean for banks, credit unions, and fintechs
  • Why waiting for losses or claims is no longer viable
  • How proactive detection helps surface hidden networks earlier
  • What leaders should evaluate in their fraud and AML stack this year

Episode 4 | Stablecoins Fraud and Regulation
Transcript

In this episode of What the F Happened? Fraud and Financial Crime, Deconstructed, we go beneath the hype to examine the real plumbing of the future financial system: stablecoins.

While Bitcoin grabs headlines, stablecoins now move over $300B globally — acting as the bridge between traditional banking and Web3. We break down what stablecoins actually are, why they’ve grown so fast, and how they’re reshaping payments, compliance, and financial crime.

  • What the Terra Luna collapse teaches us about algorithmic risk
  • How new regulation like the GENIUS Act aims to bring order to crypto
  • The tactics criminals use today: mixers, no-KYC exchanges, and affinity fraud

If you work in fraud, AML, payments, or fintech — this is your practical guide to where stablecoins are headed, and where risk teams need to focus next.

Episode 3 | Turning Risk Management into Revenue
Transcript

In this episode of What the F Happened? Fraud and Financial Crime, Deconstructed, we unpack how a leading payments processor transformed its internal risk stack into a scalable, revenue-generating product.

Handling over 60 million transactions per month across 2,500+ clients, the organization replaced siloed legacy systems with a unified, real-time fraud and AML platform—unlocking faster threat response, lower losses, and an entirely new monetization strategy.You’ll learn how modern risk architecture turns defense into differentiation, including:

  • Why consolidating fraud and AML into a single platform accelerates agility and compliance
  • Why multi-tenant architecture is the key to turning internal capabilities into sellable services
  • Real-world results: 35% fraud loss reduction, 98% faster strategy updates, 4× operational capacity, and sub-day onboarding for new clients

Whether you’re in fintech, payments, banking, or financial crime prevention, this episode offers a practical blueprint for converting security investments into competitive advantage and revenue.

Episode 2  |  Macro Volatility & the New Risk Stack
Transcript
Macroeconomic volatility, from regulatory shocks, to geopolitical fragmentation, and rising credit stress, is compressing margins, fast.

In this episode, we break down why traditional, batch-based risk tools fail under volatility, and what a modern, flexible fraud and AML platform must deliver to operate at the speed of today’s financial system.
  • The 3 forces driving change
  • The architectural flaws holding teams back
  • The 5 technical pillars required to turn risk from a cost center into a margin engine.
Episode 1  |  Monthly Brief: January 2026 Fraud & Financial Crime
Transcript
In this Monthly Brief, we break down the most important fraud and financial crime developments shaping early 2026—and what they mean for financial institutions navigating new regulatory pressure, expanding attack surfaces, and rising expectations for real-time defense.
  • Why fraud defense is entering a major regulatory shift
  • Why first-party fraud is exploding, and the blind spots most fraud teams still overlook
  • The evolution of FRAML (Fraud + AML) and how unified strategies are replacing siloed operations
  • Why identity-based defenses are no longer sufficient—and what’s replacing them in 2025
  • How leading organizations are reducing false positives without increasing risk

What You’ll Walk Away With

What the F Happened? Fraud and Financial Crime, Deconstructed delivers concise breakdowns of the latest fraud news, cases, and industry shifts. Each episode cuts through complexity to turn fast-moving developments into clear insights you can act on. We’re fighting fraud every day, and this podcast breaks down what just happened, why it matters, and what you should do next.
Emerging fraud schemes and real-world attack patterns
Financial crime trends across payments, onboarding, and accounts
Regulatory and enforcement developments impacting fraud defense
AML, fraud, and compliance intersections
Operational implications for real-time fraud prevention

Who Should Listen to This Podcast

This podcast is designed for
Fraud and Financial Crime Leaders
Product and Platform Leaders responsible for fraud defense
Banking, Fintech, and Payments Professionals
Risk Operations and Strategy Leaders
AML and Compliance Teams

Why We Created This Podcast

Fraud and financial crime are evolving faster than traditional defenses—and faster than most headlines explain. This podcast exists to cut through noise, simplify complex developments, and connect fraud news to real operational impact.

We don’t just report on fraud. We break it down so teams can act on it.

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