# Suspected Fraud
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/fld-suspected-fraud/documentation/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

Financial institutions face increasing challenges in identifying and validating potentially fraudulent transactions. Traditional fraud validation processes often rely on manual reviews, delayed data exchange, and disconnected systems, resulting in higher operational overhead, slower resolution times, increased risk exposure, and lower customer satisfaction.

### How Suspected Fraud API helps users {#how-suspected-fraud-api-helps-users}

* **Real-time integration** with FLD for faster resolution
* **Automated workflows** reducing manual effort
* **Scalable** and **secure architecture** for high volumes
* **Compliance with industry standards**

<br />

The Suspected Fraud API helps issuers and acquirers streamline fraud detection by enabling secure submission of suspected fraudulent transactions directly to the Fraud and Loss Database (FLD). Once submitted, transactions undergo investigation, and their status is updated to Confirmed Fraud or Confirmed Not Fraud, ensuring accurate reporting. This automation eliminates manual processes, reduces delays, and provides real-time integration with fraud databases-enhancing efficiency, compliance, and customer trust.

### Advantages of using Suspected Fraud Application {#advantages-of-using-suspected-fraud-application}

There is a growing need to integrate with Fraud and Loss Database through the Application Programming Interface (API) route, especially among tech-savvy entities. Some advantages of using the Suspected Fraud APIs are:

* **Automation**: With APIs, systems rather than people can manage the work. It also helps entities update workflows to make them quicker and more productive.

* **Efficiency**: The content generated can be published automatically and is available for every channel. It allows the content to be shared and distributed more efficiently.

* **Integration**: APIs easily allow content to be embedded from any site or application. It guarantees more fluid information delivery and an integrated user experience.

* **Personalization**: Using APIs, any user or company can customize the content and services they use the most.

* **Adaptation**: APIs help to anticipate changes. Data migration is better supported, and the information is reviewed more closely.

## How it Works {#how-it-works}

Issuers or Acquirers send suspected transaction details to FLD through Suspected Fraud API. The API records the suspected fraud transaction in FLD. The details of suspected transactions are then distributed into larger ecosystem for fraud prevention and management.

A high-level overview of how FLD processes transactions submitted through the API channel and marks them as fraud or suspected fraud is shown in this flow chart.

![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/fld-suspected-fraud/uploads/fldhowitworksv6.PNG)

1. The user (issuer or acquirer) identifies the transaction that must be submitted as fraud or suspected fraud.
2. The issuer (or processor) or acquirer invokes FLD API in real time to submit the suspected transaction as fraud or suspected fraud.
3. FLD responds to the API request to notify if it is successfully processed.
4. The details related to the fraud submission request are conveyed to the issuer or acquirer.

## Before You Start {#before-you-start}

To use FLD APIs, you first create a project and then add the Fraud Submission API. Once created, you have access to the Sandbox. You use the Sandbox to test authentication with OAuth and validate that requests are correctly formatted and encrypted.
For more information, refer to [Create a new API project](https://developer.mastercard.com/fld-suspected-fraud/tutorial/create-project/index.md).   

## API Overview {#api-overview}

The table describes each API and its purpose. Before moving to Sandbox and Production environments, your application must support all APIs listed.

|         **API Name**         |                                                        **Purpose**                                                        | **Applicability** |
|------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
| Suspect Fraud Data Add       | Add a new suspected fraud record using input parameters for Mastercard built transactions                                 | Suspected Fraud   |
| Suspect Fraud Data Change    | Change an existing fraud record using input parameters for Mastercard built transactions                                  | Suspected Fraud   |
| Suspect Fraud to Confirm     | Confirm a suspected fraud record using input parameters for Mastercard built transactions                                 | Suspected Fraud   |
| Suspect Fraud to Not Confirm | Mark an existing suspected fraud record as **Confirm Not Fraud** using input parameters for Mastercard built transactions | Suspected Fraud   |
| Suspected Fraud Delete       | Delete existing Acquirer submitted suspected fraud by Acquirer only                                                       | Suspected Fraud   |
| Suspect Fraud Status         | Get transaction status                                                                                                    | Suspected Fraud   |

## Next Steps {#next-steps}

Now that you have an understanding of what the service does, proceed to the [API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/fld-suspected-fraud/documentation/api-basics/index.md) section for details on authentication and encryption.