The Hidden Heist: How Employee Fraud is Robbing Banks Blind

When people think about fraud in the banking sector, they often picture cybercriminals, phishing scams, or external threats. Banks invest heavily in audit teams, risk management, and security measures to prevent external fraud. But the real danger? It’s much closer than they think. Internal fraud is the low-hanging fruit, often overlooked, yet capable of crippling financial institutions from within. The Case for Awareness: A Growing Crisis Two years ago, a major financial institution in Africa suffered a devastating case of internal fraud. Despite its sophisticated fraud detection systems, millions were siphoned by employees who understood how to bypass internal controls. Just last year, two leading commercial banks in Africa faced similar crises. Insiders manipulated loans, created ghost accounts, and exploited system loopholes. These weren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet, these were people’s life savings, businesses at stake, and trust shattered. Each time, the question arises: Why d...