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From the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), full 2025 Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) numbers have arrived, revealing notable patterns across ACH, wire transfers, check payment systems and credit and debit cards. Using collected SAR filings through 2014 by payment system, here’s the visual trend through 2025:

When comparing 2024 to 2025 SAR filings per payment system:

• ACH: 316,786 total filings, up 8.3%
• Wire Transfers: 130,382 total filings, up 7.4%
• Checks: 475,878 total filings, down 8.7%
• Credit and Debit Cards: 316,786 total filings, up 6.2%

Only checks declined in SAR filings year-over-year, while ACH, wire and card filings increased. ACH, wire, and card volumes continue to grow as check volumes decline, as more account holders digitize transactions. Check-fraud related SARs remain significantly higher in 2025 compared to five years ago. 

Five-year SAR growth per payment system (since 2020) shows:

• ACH: 55% increase
• Wire Transfers: 149% increase
• Checks: 119% increase
• Credit and Debit Cards: 138% increase

Check and card SAR filings spiked notably in 2022, while ACH SAR filings have grown steadily since 2018, accelerating sharply after 2020. Nacha’s response to credit-push fraud includes educational publications and new ACH Rules requirements. Wire transfer SAR filings remain on an “increasing at an increasing rate” trajectory. In 2024, the FBI reported $6.5 billion in losses from investment fraud.

According to FinCEN, notable fraud types listed through 2025 SAR filings include:

For organizations looking to visualize fraud hotspots, consider using the Federal Reserve’s FraudClassifier^SM model or ScamClassifier^SM model.

To learn how to strengthen your defenses against ACH, wire, check and card fraud, in addition to other fraud schemes (including instant payments fraud, elder financial abuse and cryptocurrency scams), check out our 2026 Fraud Bundle! 

As payment volumes accelerate and fraud tactics evolve, staying ahead of these trends is critical to protecting both your organization and your clients.

Turn the volume up on fraud prevention at EPCOR Payments Conference – Spring 2026 in Indianapolis from April 13–15! Shred through sessions like Helping ACH Originators with the New 2026 Fraud Monitoring Rules, Old Threats, New Tactics: Combating Check Fraud in Modern Banking, Inside the Fraud Factory: How Real-Time Payments Are Rewriting the Rules of Risk and many more. EPCOR members can save $100 on their ticket with EARLY BIRD PRICING through March 13! Also, our agenda is now available!