Financial fraud investigation involves detecting, preventing, and resolving fraudulent activities that could impact an organization or an individual. It usually focuses on identifying anomalies in financial transactions, misappropriation of assets, and other suspicious activities.

In the National Crime Victimization Survey's Supplemental Fraud Survey, financial fraud is defined as acts that “intentionally and knowingly deceive the victim by misrepresenting, concealing, or omitting facts about promised goods, services.