Most Expensive Payment Frauds: The Biggest Scams That Shook the Financial World

Fraud has always been costly, but in the digital era, payment-related scams have reached staggering levels. From elaborate phishing operations to corporate accounting manipulation, these schemes have drained billions from companies, investors, and consumers. What’s most alarming is not just the sheer size of these losses, but how preventable many of them were. By understanding the biggest fraud cases in history, we can learn how to spot red flags and strengthen our defenses.

Understanding Payment Fraud: Methods & Mechanisms

Payment fraud refers to any scheme that uses deceptive tactics to unlawfully acquire money during the transaction process. These can target banks, corporations, governments, and individuals.

Common categories include:

• Phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) – Fraudsters impersonate trusted contacts to trick employees into transferring funds.
• Corporate and Accounting Fraud – Manipulation of financial statements to hide losses or inflate profits.
• Ponzi and Pyramid Schemes – Using funds from new investors to pay returns to earlier ones.
• Wire Transfer and Invoice Fraud – Sending fake invoices or redirecting legitimate payments.

The sophistication of these scams has increased with the use of AI, deepfakes, and automation, making them harder to detect until significant damage is done.

Top 6 Most Expensive Payment Frauds

These high‑profile scams represent some of the most financially devastating payment fraud cases in history. They reveal how even the most trusted brands and institutions can lose millions to well‑executed deception.

1. Facebook and Google

A Lithuanian scammer posed as a trusted hardware supplier and tricked both tech giants into authorizing large wire transfers. This case remains a prime example of how even the most advanced companies can fall victim to highly targeted social engineering.

• Amount Lost: Over $100 million
• When: 2013–2015
• Why It Happened: A fraudster impersonated a legitimate supplier, sending convincing fake invoices and payment instructions.
• How It’s Resolved: Perpetrator arrested and sentenced; companies improved payment verification and supplier authentication protocols.

2. Crelan Bank

Belgium’s Crelan Bank suffered a CEO‑impersonation attack that convinced staff to approve high‑value international transfers. The breach underscored the need for stronger internal verification and fraud detection.

• Amount Lost: $75.8 million (€70 million)
• When: 2016
• Why It Happened: Criminals used business email compromise (BEC) tactics to impersonate the CEO and request urgent transfers.
• How It’s Resolved: Losses absorbed by the bank; internal audit processes and staff awareness training strengthened.

3. FACC

An Austrian aerospace manufacturer lost tens of millions after fraudsters impersonated its CEO in a targeted phishing scheme. The fallout included leadership changes and a renewed focus on employee fraud awareness.

• Amount Lost: $61 million (€50 million)
• When: 2016
• Why It Happened: CEO email spoofing tricked finance staff into transferring funds for a fake acquisition.
• How It’s Resolved: CEO and CFO dismissed; the company introduced stricter transaction approval and multi‑signature requirements.

4. Upsher‑Smith Laboratories

This U.S. pharmaceutical company was duped into sending multiple large transfers to fraudulent overseas accounts. The case shows how convincing executive‑spoofing emails can slip past even experienced finance teams.

• Amount Lost: $39 million
• When: 2014
• Why It Happened: Cybercriminals impersonated top executives to request urgent international wire transfers.
• How It’s Resolved: Some funds recovered; the company reinforced fraud awareness training and implemented dual authorization for large payments.

5. Toyota Boshoku

A European subsidiary of Toyota Boshoku mistakenly sent funds to criminals following fake executive instructions. This attack demonstrated the global reach of BEC scams and their costly impact.

• Amount Lost: $37 million (¥4 billion)
• When: 2019
• Why It Happened: Fraudsters impersonated senior executives and sent falsified payment instructions to accounting staff.
• How It’s Resolved: Loss largely unrecovered; company strengthened payment verification and multi‑factor authentication measures.

6. Pathé Films

The French cinema company transferred millions over several weeks after fraudsters posed as top executives. This case remains a textbook lesson in how sustained social engineering can exploit corporate trust.

• Amount Lost: $21.5 million (€19.2 million)
• When: 2018
• Why It Happened: Attackers used prolonged CEO fraud, claiming funds were needed for a confidential acquisition.
• How It’s Resolved: Funds not recovered; executives dismissed; stricter approval policies and fraud awareness programs introduced.

Industries Most at Risk

Certain industries face greater exposure to high-value payment fraud due to the scale and complexity of their financial transactions. Understanding these vulnerabilities helps organizations strengthen defenses before they become the next target.

• Banking & Financial Services: Large daily transaction volumes make banks prime targets for wire fraud, phishing, and account takeover. Criminals exploit complex payment routing and employee trust to mask illicit transfers.
• Retail & E-commerce: Card‑not‑present fraud, fake returns, and chargebacks are common in fast‑moving online sales. Data breaches can compromise millions of payment details, later sold or used in fraudulent purchases.
• Healthcare & Government Benefits: Massive disbursement programs and sensitive personal data invite scams, from false claims to provider identity theft. Pandemic relief and benefit programs have been prime targets for fraudsters.
• Cryptocurrency & Fintech: Weak regulatory oversight and irreversible blockchain transactions create opportunities for scams and hacks. Exchange breaches and crypto “rug pulls” have led to losses in the hundreds of millions.

Emerging Trends in High-Value Payment Fraud

Fraud tactics evolve as quickly as payment technologies, with criminals exploiting new systems and tools to bypass safeguards. Staying ahead of these trends is essential for effective fraud prevention.

• Real-Time Payment Scams: Faster payment systems leave little time for banks or victims to detect and reverse fraudulent transfers.
• Synthetic Identity Fraud: Fraudsters combine real and fake personal details to create identities that pass verification but are used for criminal activity.
• Deepfake and AI-Driven Impersonation: Voice and video deepfakes are now being deployed to mimic executives and authorize fraudulent transactions.
• Crypto and P2P Payment Exploits: Fraud in peer-to-peer apps and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms is rising as adoption grows.

Prevention and Mitigation Strategies

Combating payment fraud requires a layered approach that blends technology, process controls, and employee vigilance. The right strategy can reduce risk and limit losses before they escalate.

• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all high-value transactions.
• Adopt AI-Powered Fraud Detection to flag unusual transaction patterns in real time.
• Enforce Multi-Signature Authorization for large or unusual payments.
• Verify Requests Out-of-Band by confirming payment instructions through a separate, trusted communication channel.
• Regularly Train Employees on spotting phishing, BEC, and social engineering tactics.
• Conduct Internal Audits and payment process reviews to identify weaknesses before they are exploited.

Conclusion

High-value payment fraud isn’t just a financial problem; it’s a business survival issue. From billion-dollar corporate deceptions to multi-million-dollar phishing scams, these cases prove that no organization is immune. The most effective defense blends advanced technology, strong internal controls, and an organizational culture that values vigilance over convenience. Learning from the most expensive frauds in history is the first step toward ensuring you never become the next headline.