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Trusted by Fintechs & Financial Institutions

Fraud Risk Management

Fraud is one of the fastest-moving threats financial services organizations face and most compliance programs aren't built to keep up with it. Pillars FinCrime Advisory helps fintechs and financial institutions build fraud risk frameworks that detect threats early, respond effectively, and satisfy the expectations of regulators and bank partners. From strategy and policy development to operational controls and investigation workflows, we bring the expertise your organization needs to stay ahead of fraud risk.
Fractional Compliance Services

What a Strong Fraud Risk Framework Actually Covers

Effective fraud risk management goes well beyond detection. It requires a strategy, the right controls, clear investigation workflows, and a program that evolves as fraud tactics do. Here's what Pillars brings to the table.

Fraud Risk Strategy

We help you build a fraud risk strategy that's aligned with your business model, your customer base, and your actual exposure. A strategy that knows what it's defending against is far more effective than one built on generic assumptions.

Fraud Risk Assessment

We conduct thorough fraud risk assessments that identify where your organization is most vulnerable, evaluate the controls you have in place, and give you a clear picture of where your gaps are before someone exploits them.

Detection & Monitoring Controls

We design fraud detection controls and monitoring rules that catch what matters without generating so much noise that your team can't keep up. The right alerts at the right time make all the difference.

Investigation Workflow Design

When fraud is detected, your team needs a clear, consistent process to follow. We build investigation workflows that guide your analysts from alert to resolution with the documentation and decision framework regulators expect to see.

Policy & Procedure Development

We write fraud risk policies and procedures that give your team clear guidance on how to identify, escalate, investigate, and report fraud activity in a way that satisfies both regulatory and bank partner expectations.

Ongoing Program Enhancement

Fraud tactics evolve constantly and your program needs to keep pace. We work with you on an ongoing basis to review performance, update controls, and make sure your fraud risk framework stays effective as your business and the threat landscape change.

Fraud Doesn't Wait

Your Fraud Risk Program Needs to Be Ahead of the Threat, Not Behind It

Most organizations discover their fraud risk program has gaps when it's already too late. A loss has occurred, a regulator has raised a concern, or a bank partner has flagged an issue. Pillars works with you before that happens. We assess your exposure, build the right controls, and make sure your program is positioned to detect and respond to fraud before it becomes a bigger problem. Getting ahead of fraud risk is always easier and less costly than cleaning up after it.

fraud-risk-management
What's Included

The Core Elements of a Fraud Risk Program That Actually Works

Fraud risk management isn't a single control or a single policy. It's a layered program with multiple components working together. Here's what Pillars makes sure you have in place.

Risk-Based Controls
Controls designed around your specific fraud exposure, not generic industry templates. We make sure your defenses are pointed at the threats your business actually faces.
Real-Time Detection
Monitoring rules and alert thresholds calibrated to catch fraud activity early, before losses grow and before regulators or bank partners start asking questions.
Investigation Frameworks
Clear, documented investigation workflows that guide your team from alert to resolution with the consistency and documentation that regulatory examinations expect to find.
Continuous Improvement
Fraud tactics evolve and your program needs to keep pace. We build in regular review cycles so your controls stay current and your detection capabilities stay sharp.

Fraud Risk Management From Someone Who Has Seen What Bad Fraud Programs Look Like

The best fraud risk programs aren't built in theory. They're built by people who have seen what happens when fraud controls fail and know exactly what needs to be in place to prevent it.

Joshua Douglas has spent more than 12 years working inside financial services organizations where fraud risk was a daily operational reality. He has seen programs that worked and programs that didn't. He has been there when fraud was caught early and when it wasn't. That experience shapes every fraud risk engagement Pillars takes on. We don't build programs based on what looks good on paper. We build them based on what actually stops fraud, satisfies regulators, and holds up when your bank partner wants to see your controls. If your current fraud risk program isn't giving you that level of confidence, that's exactly the problem we're here to solve.
12+ Years
Fraud Risk Experience
End to End
Strategy Through Investigation
Proactive
Ahead of the Threat Not Behind It
Client Impact

Built for the Challenges Fintechs Actually Face

From first-time compliance builds to regulatory remediation and bank partner readiness — see how Pillars FinCrime Advisory helps organizations move forward with confidence, clarity, and programs that hold up under scrutiny.

Pillars helped us navigate a complex regulatory review with confidence. Their hands-on approach and deep understanding of fintech compliance made all the difference. Our program is now scalable and audit-ready.

JD

James Donovan

Chief Compliance Officer

The fractional CCO service provided exactly what we needed—senior-level expertise without the overhead. Joshua and his team integrated seamlessly with our operations and gave us the strategic guidance to grow safely.

SW

Sarah Wagner

Head of Risk

From transaction monitoring optimization to KYC redesign, Pillars delivered measurable improvements. Alert quality is up, operational friction is down, and we're better prepared for regulatory exams.

MT

Michael Thompson

VP, Compliance Operations

Pillars helped us navigate a complex regulatory review with confidence. Their hands-on approach and deep understanding of fintech compliance made all the difference. Our program is now scalable and audit-ready.

JD

James Donovan

Chief Compliance Officer

The fractional CCO service provided exactly what we needed—senior-level expertise without the overhead. Joshua and his team integrated seamlessly with our operations and gave us the strategic guidance to grow safely.

SW

Sarah Wagner

Head of Risk

From transaction monitoring optimization to KYC redesign, Pillars delivered measurable improvements. Alert quality is up, operational friction is down, and we're better prepared for regulatory exams.

MT

Michael Thompson

VP, Compliance Operations

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of fraud does Pillars help organizations defend against?
We work across the full spectrum of fraud risk that financial services organizations face including account takeover, synthetic identity fraud, first party fraud, payment fraud, and insider threats. The specific fraud types we focus on in any engagement depend on your business model, your customer base, and where your actual exposure is highest. We don't apply a generic framework. We build one around the threats your organization is most likely to encounter.
How is fraud risk management different from AML compliance?
They're related but distinct disciplines. AML compliance focuses on detecting and reporting money laundering and other financial crimes that flow through your institution. Fraud risk management focuses on preventing and detecting deceptive activity that directly harms your organization or your customers. In practice the two overlap in important ways, particularly around transaction monitoring and suspicious activity reporting, and Pillars has deep expertise in both areas.
How do we know if our current fraud risk program is strong enough?
Most organizations don't find out their fraud program has weaknesses until something goes wrong. Pillars can conduct an independent fraud risk assessment that evaluates your current controls, identifies gaps and vulnerabilities, and gives you an honest picture of where your program stands. It's a much better way to find out than waiting for a fraud event, a regulatory finding, or a bank partner concern to surface the issues for you.
What should we do if we've already experienced a fraud incident?
The first priority after a fraud incident is understanding exactly what happened, how it happened, and what it exposed about your current controls. Pillars can step in to help you conduct a thorough post-incident review, identify the gaps that allowed the fraud to occur, and build a remediation plan that addresses them. We also help you communicate the incident and your response to regulators or bank partners if that's required.

Who We Work With

Pillars FinCrime Advisory partners with a range of organizations across the financial services ecosystem — from early-stage startups to established institutions managing complex compliance demands.

Houston, Texas

Headquarters

United States

Remote & On-Site Engagements

Founded 2025

By Joshua Douglas

Fintechs

Payments Companies

Sponsor Banks

Financial Institutions

Why Pillars
Why Organizations Trust Pillars With Their Fraud Risk Program
We've Seen What Failure Looks Like
Joshua Douglas has worked inside organizations where fraud controls failed and where they succeeded. That firsthand experience is what shapes every fraud risk program Pillars builds. We know what to look for because we've seen what happens when it's missed.
Controls Built for Your Threats
Generic fraud controls applied to a specific business often miss the most relevant risks. We build fraud programs around your actual exposure so your defenses are pointed in the right direction from day one.
Regulatory and Bank Partner Ready
A fraud risk program needs to satisfy more than just your internal team. We build programs that hold up under regulatory examination and meet the expectations of your bank partners so you're covered on every front.
Ready to Strengthen Your Financial Crime Program?
Let's discuss your compliance needs today
Reach out to Joshua Douglas and the Pillars team at 281-825-1603 or pillarsfincrimeadvisory@gmail.com . Whether you're launching a new product, preparing for regulatory review, or scaling your compliance program—we're here to help.
Headquarters: Houston, Texas (Serving clients nationwide)
Contact Us Today