Why AI fraud has become a CFO problem
Your approval chains, supplier records and expense checks were designed around a simple idea: if a request looks right and comes from someone you recognize, it's probably real. AI fraud breaks that idea. Criminals can now forge receipts and invoices in seconds, clone a colleague's voice, or appear as your CFO on a live video call. Many finance teams sense their controls are falling behind, and they're right to worry.
Combating AI Fraud: A Guide for Finance Leaders is written for CFOs, finance directors and controllers who need to close that gap. Published by SAP Concur as part of its CFO Insights Series, it argues that the finance chief is unusually well placed to lead an organization's response. It then sets out what that leadership looks like when it reaches your team, IT, legal and HR.
The stakes are made concrete early. The guide recounts a case in Hong Kong where a finance worker paid out millions after criminals used deepfakes to impersonate the company's CFO and other staff during a video call. It's a useful reminder that a convincing attack often succeeds because a diligent employee is acting in good faith.
How deepfake fraud, business email compromise and fake documents reach finance
A large part of the document explains how today's attacks work and why they are harder to predict. You'll see how generative AI has changed document forgery, putting fake suppliers, receipts and travel claims within reach of almost anyone. You'll also see how business email compromise has grown more targeted, with attackers using public information to time their requests around travel schedules or contract renewals.
The section on impersonation is especially sobering. It covers why people overestimate their ability to spot manipulated video, and how attackers combine channels so that a fake invoice is followed by an equally fake voice message chasing approval. Once you understand these patterns, it becomes much easier to see where your own processes rely too heavily on trust.
The guide also explains the wider conditions behind the surge: more devices and connected systems to attack, AI tools that are cheap and easy to obtain, and employees using unapproved software that security teams can't see.
Building fraud controls and governance that hold up
The practical heart of the guide is a defence built on three pillars: people, operational controls and governance. Rather than treating fraud as a purely technical issue, it frames AI fraud as an attack on trust, which means your staff matter as much as your software.
On controls, it outlines the kinds of checks that make invoice fraud and expense fraud harder to pull off, from tighter verification of submitted documents to stronger approval rules for payments and supplier changes. On governance, it addresses a question many organizations haven't settled: who actually owns fraud risk, and how should AI models used for detection be overseen so they don't introduce new problems of their own?
On people, the guidance is refreshingly human. It covers how to train teams on new attack types and relevant regulation, and how to build a culture where questioning a request is normal and mistakes get reported quickly instead of hidden. It also points to frameworks and training sources finance leaders can use to benchmark their programs.
Where AI anti-fraud tools fit in finance fraud governance
The guide closes by turning the problem around. The same technology fuelling the threat can also strengthen your defences, provided it sits on top of sound processes and an alert team. It looks at the categories of AI anti-fraud tools organizations are using, how they help spot anomalies and altered documents, and why integration with your wider finance systems matters. It also highlights how few organizations have adopted these tools so far, which may leave many exposed to losses they could have prevented.
Throughout, you'll hear directly from finance practitioners and advisors, including Stuart Maclean, CFO at Brother UK, fintech advisor Theodora Lau, and Victor Domingos, CFO at SAP Concur.
What you'll take away
- A clear picture of the AI-driven fraud types now aimed at finance teams
- Practical control and governance measures to review against your own
- Ideas for training and culture that turn staff into a first line of defence
- A grounded view of how AI tools can support detection
Download Combating AI Fraud: A Guide for Finance Leaders to get the full set of research findings, expert perspectives and recommended actions. It's a short, focused read, and it gives you a sound basis for deciding where your organization should act first.