How Fraudsters Choose Targets

It’s easy to think of fraud prevention as a technical problem with a software solution. But according to Brian Davis, effective fraud defense is just as much about people, trust, and communication as it is about tools and data. With over a decade of experience, Brian has built fraud teams from scratch, shaped company-wide strategy, and helped growing startups shift from reactive to proactive risk management.

Brian is the Head of Fraud at Dodgeball, where he’s helping bring their orchestration platform to market, and the founder of House of Fraud, an invite-only community where top fraud professionals collaborate and share intel. He’s seen firsthand how fraudsters adapt quickly, and how internal misalignment or a lack of education can leave companies vulnerable. His layered approach focuses on understanding how business systems are abused and using that knowledge to design smarter defenses.

In this episode, Brian shares his journey into the fraud space, explains why internal politics often matter more than policy, and offers a real-world breakdown of how fraud teams can gain traction and build trust. Whether you're running a digital subscription business, a fintech platform, or an e-commerce store, this conversation will help you think more clearly about why you’re a target and what you can do to make your organization harder to hit.

Show Notes:

• [00:50] Brian is the head of fraud at Dodgeball Fraud Orchestration Platform. 
• [01:15] We learn how Brian noticed something was off about 10 years ago when he was working for an accounting client.
• [02:01] He loved accounting, but as he got his master's degree, he started focusing on entrepreneurship and fraud.
• [02:45] He worked in accounting for a year and then became the first fraud hire of an e-commerce company.
• [03:30] Then he built out teams to help businesses combat fraud.
• [04:07] He's now on the vendor side of fraud prevention, and he does consulting and runs The Fraud Space community.
• [05:18] Brian likes the dynamic aspect of always having to solve a problem. Micro patterns pop up that can be connected to bigger patterns.
• [06:47] Most people are willing to help the fraud department, because it gets them what they want.
• [09:20] Issues that arise when doing a really good job in the fraud department and justifying the expense.
• [11:05] When coming into a new company, the areas where Brian starts looking for fraud.
• [12:04] The first step is to understand how the company makes decisions. He then begins with a surface map. How does a user interact with your site for an outcome?
• [16:29] Where the larger threats are coming from.
• [18:49] Understanding the fraudster's criminal journey and where they choose to attack.
• [25:25] Founders who have previously been hurt by fraud asked more questions.
• [28:20] Behaviors that might actually attract fraud.
• [30:58] How referral programs can attract fraud.
• [40:29] There are many similarities between the different types of fraud and the tools used across multiple industries.
• [41:23] Has Brian ever been the victim of a scam?
• [42:28] A fraud story purchasing sporting tickets through marketplace.
• [49:12] The pitfalls of passwords and password hygiene.

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