Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud

A scam where victims are deceived into authorizing payments to fraudulent accounts, often through social engineering or impersonation

Authorized Push Payment (APP) Fraud occurs when criminals deceive victims into willingly authorizing payments to fraudulent accounts, typically by impersonating legitimate entities or creating convincing scenarios that prompt urgent transfers.

Common Tactics

  • Bank impersonation
  • Business email compromise
  • Emergency scenarios
  • Authority figures
  • Time pressure

Warning Signs

  • Urgent requests
  • Account changes
  • Pressure tactics
  • Unusual contacts
  • Payment demands

Impact Areas

  • Financial loss
  • Personal data
  • Account security
  • Trust relationships
  • Business operations

Prevention Methods

  • Payment verification
  • Contact confirmation
  • Delay mechanisms
  • Authentication steps
  • Staff training

Security Measures

  • Transaction alerts
  • Verification processes
  • Callback procedures
  • Amount limits
  • Payee confirmation

Best Practices

  • Double verification
  • Staff awareness
  • Process controls
  • Customer education
  • Incident reporting

APP fraud exploits trust and urgency to bypass traditional security measures.