Banking Knowledge Guide

Payment Fraud

  1. Articles
  2. Banking
  3. Payment Fraud
  4. Common Payment Fraud Tactics
Payment Fraud

Knowledge Guide Chapters

  1. What is Payment Fraud?
  2. Common Payment Fraud Tactics
  3. Payment Fraud Statistics
  4. Payment Fraud Examples
  5. Non-Payment Fraud
  6. Payment Fraud Detection & Prevention

Common Payment Fraud TacticsKnow Thy Enemy: How Payment Fraud Works in Practice

Dado Kalem | October 2, 2025 | 2 min read
Common Payment Fraud Tactics

Common Payment Fraud Tactics Used by Scammers

Payment fraud is a broad and dynamic threat, and the fraudster’s playbook is lengthy. Threats range from simple scams using stolen credit card numbers to more sophisticated schemes involving identity theft and account takeovers.

In this article, I’m going to break down the most common tactics bad actors use to exploit merchants and steal hard-earned revenue.

Payment Fraud

In this guide, we take a look at what payment fraud is, how it works, and how it impacts merchants. We’ll also share tips and best practices you can use to identify, detect, and prevent these tactics from harming your business.

How Payment Fraud Works: Common Payment Fraud Tactics

Like we alluded to already, there are dozens of individual tactics and scams that fraudsters can use to commit payment fraud. Some of the most common include:

Account Takeover Fraud

A tactic by which a fraudster impersonates a legitimate cardholder. Here, instead of using a stolen card, the criminal makes fraudulent payments using information from the cardholder’s account.

Learn more about account takeover

Synthetic Fraud

This is a form of identity theft that involves stealing personal information. However, the fraudster uses pieces of data from multiple consumers to create a fake (or synthetic) persona, which can then be used to make purchases.

Learn more about synthetic fraud

Clean Fraud

A fraudster uses stolen credit card data to make a purchase, then manipulates the transaction to bypass fraud detection devices. The name refers to the fact that the transaction appears “clean,” and will not be picked up by fraud filters or blacklists.

Learn more about clean fraud

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

This hinges on a perpetrator impersonating a trusted email user, either by hacking or using a fake account. The fraudster can then use the deception to facilitate a payment.

Learn more about BEC

Bust-Out Fraud

A fraudster fosters an extended line of credit. When the available credit is high enough, the fraudster maxes out the cards and walks away without paying, effectively “busting out” of the scam.

Learn more about bust-out fraud
Common QuestionHow do scammers get their victims’ payment data?Hackers can obtain the data they need, including cardholder information, banking information, login credentials, etc., through a variety of channels. Phishing is a common tactic where the fraudster creates a dummy site or email designed to trick a user into handing over their information. The fraudster might also use malware to steal information from cardholders without their knowledge or purchase stolen information on the dark web.

New payment fraud tactics are developed every day.

Are you protected?

Request a Demo
The Original End-to-End Chargeback Management Platform

Next Chapter

Payment Fraud Statistics

We’ll run the numbers; You’ll see the savings.
triangle shape background particle triangle shape background particle triangle shape background particle
Please share a few details and we'll connect with you!
Revenue Recovery icon
Over 18,000 companies recovered revenue with products from Chargebacks911
Close Form