Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Fraud Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

As a Fraud Coordinator, you are a vital guardian of the company's financial integrity and our customers' trust. This role involves the meticulous monitoring of transactions, in-depth investigation of suspicious activities, and decisive action to mitigate risk. You will leverage sophisticated tools and your own sharp analytical skills to detect patterns of fraud, from payment fraud and account takeovers to organized fraud rings. Working collaboratively with customer service, finance, and engineering teams, you will not only resolve individual cases but also contribute to the continuous improvement of our fraud prevention strategies. This is a dynamic position for a proactive individual who thrives on problem-solving and is passionate about creating a secure environment for our business to grow.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Customer Service Representative (especially in banking or e-commerce)
Bank Teller / Personal Banker
Junior Analyst or Data Entry Specialist in a financial context

Advancement To:

Senior Fraud Analyst / Investigator
Fraud or Risk Team Lead / Manager
Compliance Manager or AML (Anti-Money Laundering) Specialist

Lateral Moves:

Compliance Analyst
Risk Analyst
Data Analyst (Security or Trust & Safety)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Proactively monitor and analyze real-time transactional data and system-generated alerts to identify, investigate, and resolve potentially fraudulent activities.
Conduct thorough reviews of high-risk orders, customer accounts, and payment transactions to determine their legitimacy and take appropriate action.
Perform detailed investigations into suspected cases of fraud, including account takeovers, payment fraud, and identity theft, by gathering and synthesizing data from various sources.
Communicate directly and professionally with customers via email and phone to verify transactions and gather necessary information while maintaining a positive customer experience.
Make timely and accurate decisions to approve, cancel, or hold orders and transactions based on risk assessment and investigative findings.
Analyze chargeback data and dispute inquiries to identify root causes, respond to payment processors, and minimize financial losses.
Utilize third-party fraud detection tools, databases, and internal systems to research and validate customer information and transaction details.
Identify and analyze emerging fraud trends, patterns, and typologies, providing actionable insights to leadership and cross-functional teams.
Document all investigative steps, findings, and actions taken in a clear, concise, and consistent manner within the case management system.
Collaborate with Customer Support teams to resolve customer issues related to fraud and security, providing guidance and clear communication.
Escalate complex or large-scale fraud cases to senior analysts or management with a comprehensive summary and recommended next steps.
Contribute to the refinement and optimization of fraud detection rules, models, and business logic by providing feedback based on manual review findings.
Assist in the preparation of regular reports on fraud metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and loss rates for management review.
Perform link analysis and use data-driven techniques to uncover and disrupt organized fraud rings and networks.
Maintain a strong understanding of the evolving fraud landscape, including new tactics, technologies, and industry best practices.
Work closely with the payment processing and finance teams to resolve discrepancies and ensure accurate financial reporting.
Review and verify customer-provided documentation for identity verification and due diligence purposes.
Adhere strictly to all company policies, regulatory requirements, and data privacy standards in every aspect of the role.
Participate in testing and providing feedback on new fraud prevention tools, features, and system enhancements.
Provide support to law enforcement and legal teams by compiling evidence and case documentation as required.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer specific business questions related to risk.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by identifying gaps in fraud-related data capture.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs and fraud prevention requirements into actionable engineering tickets.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data and risk teams.
Assist in developing and delivering training materials on fraud awareness and prevention for new hires and other departments.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency in using fraud detection and prevention platforms (e.g., Sift, Kount, Cybersource, Accertify).
Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and data analysis functions.
Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Zendesk) for case management and customer communication.
Basic to intermediate SQL skills for querying databases and extracting data for analysis.
Strong understanding of various payment methods (credit/debit cards, ACH, digital wallets) and their associated risks.
Familiarity with the chargeback lifecycle and reason codes across major card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex).
Knowledge of e-commerce platforms and order management systems.
Ability to interpret data and generate reports using business intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker) is a plus.
Understanding of data privacy principles and regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
Experience with link analysis tools (e.g., Palantir, i2 Analyst's Notebook) is highly desirable.

Soft Skills

Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills with an investigative mindset.
Meticulous attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy.
Strong problem-solving abilities with a talent for identifying patterns in complex data.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely.
Sound judgment and the ability to make quick, risk-based decisions under pressure.
High level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive and confidential information.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases and priorities simultaneously.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced and constantly evolving environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent. An Associate's Degree is often preferred.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Criminal Justice
Business Administration
Finance / Economics
Information Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1-3 years of direct experience in a fraud prevention, risk management, trust and safety, or a related analytical role, preferably within e-commerce, banking, or fintech.

Preferred:

Experience handling a high volume of transaction reviews and fraud alerts.
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or other relevant industry certification is a strong plus.
Demonstrated success in reducing fraud losses while balancing customer experience.