About
Shahar Payne
Criminal profiler and fraud prevention specialist
17 years of experience in investigations, behavioural analysis and fraud prevention in telecommunications, insurance and finance.
My experience has taught me that the real challenge is not only recognising an attempt to deceive. It is understanding the conditions that made the attempt possible.
What I work on
Fraud investigations
Identifying, investigating and preventing fraud in large organisations. Practical experience in internal and external investigations, interviewing and managing investigations.
Criminal profiling
I completed a certificate programme in criminal profiling at Ariel University, where I also previously taught investigations as part of the criminal profiling programme.
Management and training
Leading investigation teams, developing fraud-prevention practices, and helping managers and employees recognise warning signs and ask the right questions.
My approach
I listen to what people tell me, while paying particular attention to what does not fit their story. I do not rush from suspicion to a conclusion. I examine behaviour, look for contradictions and try to understand the reasoning behind people's actions.
The responsibility behind an investigation
Every investigation involves people, not only evidence and inconsistencies. Suspicion is a reason to investigate, not permission to declare guilt. I believe in fair investigations, respect for dignity and privacy, and examining evidence that challenges the original suspicion.
A good investigator is measured by what they find, the limits they set, and their ability to say when there is not enough evidence for a conclusion.
The first question
I look for the gap between the story and verifiable facts: the sequence of events, the logic behind actions and the interests of those involved. Something that does not fit is not proof of fraud. It is a reason to ask another question and look for explanations that could disprove the initial suspicion.
What I believe
Fraudsters do not all look alike
A sophisticated scam does not necessarily require a genius. To understand fraud, we need to examine what someone did, how they justified it to themselves and the opportunity they identified.
Controls are not a guarantee
Policies, controls and advanced systems do not make an organisation immune. Managing fraud risk means questioning even the things an organisation is sure are working.
Find out what happened
I do not begin an investigation to prove that someone is a fraudster. I try to understand the person, their choices and the sequence of actions that led to the event.
Behavioural patterns, not diagnoses
I describe what people do, not who they are. This is not a diagnosis of individuals.
Facts, suspicions and interpretation
I distinguish verifiable findings from unproven claims or suspicions and from my own analysis. A report is a source to examine, not proof in itself.