Best Solutions for Refund Fraud Prevention

By Dan Krebs

Summary

Refund fraud has emerged as a significant threat for B2B merchants, as sophisticated schemes increasingly target online retailers and service providers. The evolving landscape of digital commerce demands more than just traditional safeguards—today’s leading solutions leverage advanced analytics and machine learning to proactively identify refund abuse, manage chargebacks, and protect valuable revenue streams.


In this guide, we provide a strategic comparison of the top refund fraud prevention platforms on the market. Each solution brings unique strengths in fraud detection, policy abuse mitigation, and operational efficiency. Our goal is to deliver clear, data-driven insights to help you determine the best-fit software for your organization’s needs-empowering you to stay ahead of emerging threats while maintaining a seamless customer experience.


Product AI/ML Capabilities Compliance Features Data Orchestration Real-Time Case Management Industry Focus
FraudNet Advanced analytics-powered refund fraud detection and policy abuse protection Real-time policy abuse analytics Global transaction data and network intelligence Yes Ecommerce, Subscription Businesses, Marketplaces
Kount Machine learning risk scoring and continuous data analysis New regulatory compliance modules Network-wide fraud patterns and historical data Yes Retailers, Global Brands, Customer Service Teams
Riskified Decision engine analyzing 480+ data attributes per transaction Enhanced Policy Protect features Global network intelligence Yes High-Volume Ecommerce, International Expansion, Luxury and Digital Goods


1. FraudNet

Platform Summary:
FraudNet delivers a strategic, entity-first approach to refund fraud prevention, empowering enterprise commerce and retail businesses to proactively identify and stop fraudulent refund requests. By unifying data and leveraging advanced analytics, FraudNet transforms fraud prevention from a reactive cost center into a strategic growth driver-helping organizations confidently approve more good transactions, reduce investigative costs, and protect against both known and emerging refund abuse tactics.


Key Benefits:

  • Real-time monitoring of transactions and entities to flag suspicious refund activity before it impacts revenue.
  • Behavioral analytics that detect subtle, evolving patterns of refund abuse, reducing false positives.
  • Linked entity analysis to uncover organized fraud rings and serial abusers across accounts and geographies.
  • Flexible, no-code rules engine for rapid deployment of custom fraud controls.


Core Features:

  • Real-Time Transaction & Entity Monitoring
  • Behavioral Analytics
  • Linked Entity Analysis
  • Intelligent Risk Decisioning with a no-code rules engine


Primary Use Cases:

  • Preventing serial refund abuse by flagging abnormal return patterns.
  • Identifying “empty box” and friendly fraud through cross-referenced device and network data.
  • Stopping organized return fraud by mapping connections between accounts, devices, and addresses.


FraudNet has recently introduced a real-time policy abuse analytics dashboard and expanded integrations with leading ecommerce platforms, enabling faster onboarding and deeper insights into refund abuse trends. For the latest feature releases and platform updates, a personalized demo is recommended.


FraudNet’s fraud detection and prevention platform is designed for seamless integration, offering collaborative data orchestration and tailored machine learning models for industry-specific fraud typologies. The scalable, AWS-powered architecture supports modular integration for phased, low-disruption deployment.


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2. Kount

Platform Summary:
Kount is a flexible, analytics-driven fraud prevention platform that helps businesses analyze refund requests and transactions using machine learning risk scoring. Its persistent monitoring and network intelligence enable proactive controls around high-risk products, geographies, and transaction types, supporting secure refund handling and chargeback management.


Core Features:

  • Machine Learning Risk Scoring
  • Ongoing Data Analysis for emerging fraud trends
  • Comprehensive Chargeback Protection
  • Regulatory compliance modules


Kount supports global brands with fraud intelligence for new markets and enables customer service teams to quickly assess refund risk. The platform’s new regulatory compliance modules and enhanced machine learning models are designed to improve detection of cross-border refund fraud.


Organizations considering Kount should note that custom pricing may complicate budgeting, and manual review may be required for certain suspicious cases, increasing operational workload.


3. Riskified

Platform Summary:
Riskified offers a decision engine that analyzes over 480 data points per transaction to deliver real-time fraud decisioning for refunds and orders. Its unique chargeback guarantee shifts the financial liability for fraud-related chargebacks away from merchants, while the Policy Protect module targets refund, promo, and reseller abuse.


Core Features:

  • Decision Engine
  • Chargeback Guarantee
  • Policy Protect Module
  • Global network intelligence


Riskified’s Adaptive Checkout dynamically optimizes customer journeys to reduce friction and fraud risk. The Policy Protect module has also been enhanced to better detect emerging refund abuse patterns, supporting merchants as fraud tactics evolve.


Full adoption of advanced features often requires significant integration and customization, and the platform is primarily designed for online transactions, with limited support for in-store refund fraud scenarios.


What is B2B Refund Fraud Prevention?

B2B solutions for refund fraud prevention are specialized software and platforms designed to help businesses detect and block fraudulent refund and return requests automatically. These systems go beyond simple transaction monitoring, employing sophisticated technologies like behavioral analytics and digital identity verification. They analyze a vast array of data points in real time-including user history, device information, network data, and purchasing patterns-to identify anomalies and high-risk behaviors associated with common refund fraud tactics, such as returns of stolen goods, claims of non-delivery (empty box claims), or policy abuse. By creating a comprehensive risk profile for each transaction and customer interaction, these solutions empower businesses to stop fraudulent claims before they are processed, protecting revenue and operational resources.


For organizations seeking to address refund fraud in specific sectors, such as ecommerce or financial services, tailored solutions are available to meet unique industry challenges.


Why is it Important?

Implementing a robust refund fraud prevention solution is critical for protecting a company's bottom line and operational integrity. Unchecked refund fraud directly erodes profit margins, not just through the loss of returned merchandise value but also through associated shipping, restocking, and processing costs. Furthermore, it drains valuable time from customer support and fraud teams who must manually investigate suspicious claims, diverting them from serving legitimate customers. This can lead to a degraded customer experience, as stricter return policies implemented to combat fraud may inadvertently penalize honest patrons. A dedicated solution automates this defense, ensuring that fraudulent actors are stopped efficiently while legitimate customers enjoy a seamless, friction-free returns process, thereby safeguarding both revenue and brand reputation.


To further strengthen your organization’s defenses, consider leveraging entity monitoring and transaction monitoring to gain real-time visibility into suspicious activity across your network.


How to Choose the Best Software Provider

Selecting the right refund fraud prevention provider requires a methodical approach focused on technology, integration, and partnership. First, evaluate the core detection engine: does the provider leverage advanced machine learning that adapts to new fraud trends, or does it rely on static, easily bypassed rules? Ask for case studies and proof of their model's accuracy and low false-positive rates. Second, assess integration capabilities. The best solution should seamlessly connect with your existing e-commerce platform, order management system, and other parts of your tech stack via robust APIs, minimizing disruption and engineering effort. Finally, consider the provider as a long-term partner. Look for a vendor that offers transparent reporting, a customizable rules engine to fit your specific business logic, and access to fraud analysts who can provide expert guidance and help you optimize your strategy over time.


For organizations with complex compliance needs, solutions like compliance management and entity screening can help ensure regulatory obligations are met while maintaining operational efficiency.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is refund fraud and why is it a growing concern for B2B merchants?

Refund fraud occurs when individuals or organized groups exploit a company’s return and refund policies to obtain unauthorized refunds or goods. In the B2B context, this can involve fraudulent claims of non-receipt, empty box scams, or abuse of bulk return policies. As digital commerce expands and refund processes become more automated, fraudsters are leveraging sophisticated tactics and technology, making it increasingly challenging for businesses to detect and prevent such abuse without advanced tools. For a deeper dive into the latest threats, see our guide on ecommerce fraud threats.


How do analytics-powered refund fraud prevention solutions work?

These solutions use machine learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of transactional, behavioral, and network data in real time. They identify suspicious patterns, flag abnormal refund requests, and detect connections between seemingly unrelated accounts or transactions. By continuously learning from new data, these models can adapt to emerging fraud tactics, reduce false positives, and help businesses approve legitimate refunds more confidently while blocking fraudulent ones. Learn more about machine learning in fraud prevention.


What are the key features to look for in a B2B refund fraud prevention platform?

When evaluating refund fraud prevention platforms, decision-makers should prioritize features such as real-time transaction monitoring, behavioral analytics, linked entity analysis, customizable rules engines, and robust data orchestration capabilities. Additional considerations include compliance support for industry regulations, integration flexibility, scalability, and the ability to provide actionable insights through dashboards and reporting. Solutions that offer chargeback guarantees or policy abuse modules can further reduce financial risk. For more on fighting return fraud, see our article on strategies to fight return fraud.


How do these platforms support compliance and data security requirements?

Leading refund fraud prevention solutions are designed with compliance and data security in mind. They typically offer features such as real-time policy abuse analytics, regulatory compliance modules, and secure data orchestration across global networks. These platforms often comply with industry standards (such as GDPR, PCI DSS, and others), provide audit trails, and support customizable access controls to ensure sensitive information is protected and regulatory obligations are met.


What are the main setup and integration considerations for deploying a refund fraud solution?

Implementing a refund fraud prevention platform involves several key considerations: unifying risk data across business units, tailoring machine learning models to industry-specific fraud patterns, and ensuring seamless integration with existing ecommerce, CRM, and payment systems. Organizations should assess the scalability of the solution, the level of customization required, and the potential impact on operational workflows. Many platforms offer modular integration options and phased deployment to minimize disruption and accelerate time to value. Explore how data orchestration can streamline your fraud prevention strategy.



Disclaimer: This article is based exclusively on publicly available information. The tools referenced have not been independently tested by us. Should you identify any inaccuracies or wish to provide recommendations, we invite you to contact us.


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