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Alex Wood - <p data-start="272" data-end="426">Former fraud offender turned expert speaker on cyber-enabled fraud, social engineering and scam prevention.</p>
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Alex Wood

Former fraud offender turned expert speaker on cyber-enabled fraud, social engineering and scam prevention.

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USA

5.00 of 5

Top rated!
2 Client reviews

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+1 347 223 5128 +44 20 3744 5675

5 of 5

I have had the pleasure of knowing Alex for a number of years, working with him both at the Financial Fraud Awareness Campaign, and also in collaboration. Alex has been able to provide amazing insight into what often appear complex frauds, breaking them down into bitesize pieces enabling them to be tackled. On a number of occasions, I have also been able to ask Alex for advice and guidance, both on understanding emerging trends and threats, but also on my own career path and trajectory. He is ever the professional, utilising his intimate knowledge of the fraud landscape, along with his vision and dedication to the future scope of prevention.

Richard H

Counter Fraud Manager at the Charities Aid Foundation, Advisory Board Member, Conference Speaker, Educator

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Non-binding request for Alex Wood

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+1 347 223 5128 +44 20 3744 5675

Why you should book Alex Wood for your next event

  • Real-world insight into fraud, social engineering and scam tactics from lived experience and prevention work.
  • Practical understanding of mule accounts, cash-out processes and how fraud networks operate in practice.
  • Engaging, relevant talks tailored to financial crime, risk, compliance and investigation professionals.

Non-binding request for Alex Wood

Exposing the real mechanics behind fraud, deception and reform

Alex Wood delivers rare, first-hand insight into how modern fraud actually works. Drawing on personal experience with deception, impersonation and scam activity, alongside his current work in fraud prevention, he offers audiences a clear view into the mechanics behind cyber-enabled fraud. His sessions are grounded, practical and directly relevant to professionals working across financial crime, investigations and risk. Alex translates complex criminal behaviours into actionable understanding, helping organisations strengthen their defences and recognise vulnerabilities before they are exploited.

 

Alex Wood – Fraud Speaker & Social Engineering Expert

Alex Wood works with counter-fraud teams, financial crime specialists and investigators to reveal how fraud operates in practice. His focus is on cyber-enabled fraud, social engineering and scam prevention, delivered through a perspective shaped by lived experience and a commitment to reform.

He explains how scams are built, how individuals are manipulated and how systems are exploited. This creates a level of clarity that helps organisations better understand and respond to evolving fraud threats.

 

Book Alex Wood for Your Event

Alex speaks to professionals working across financial crime, risk, compliance and investigations. His sessions are especially relevant for counter-fraud teams, banking and financial services, public sector investigators and law enforcement audiences.

What makes his talks stand out is their direct relevance. Rather than theory, Alex shares how fraud actually unfolds — how decisions are made, how pressure is applied and how systems are navigated.

 

Key Speaking Topics

Alex covers a focused range of topics including cyber-enabled fraud, social engineering, scam prevention, mule accounts, fraud disruption and offending behaviour.

He also connects these themes to broader areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, cybersecurity, banking and FinTech, and risk management, making his sessions relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

 

Understanding the Mechanics of Fraud

A central part of Alex’s work is breaking down complex fraud systems into clear, practical insight. He shows how social engineering techniques influence behaviour, how mule accounts are used to move money and how fraudsters exploit gaps in controls.

Audiences gain a stronger understanding of behavioural patterns behind deception, along with the ability to identify weaknesses in existing systems. His perspective helps shift organisations from reactive responses to more proactive prevention.

 

From Offending to Reform

Alex’s background includes custodial sentences for fraud and dishonesty offences involving impersonation and scams. Following his release, he redirected his focus towards education, prevention and behavioural reform.

This experience allows him to speak openly about the mindset behind fraud, including risk-taking, justification and escalation. He also highlights how awareness, intervention and structured programmes can support long-term change.

He is a director of ERGO MARKETING LTD, previously REFORM COURSES LTD, reflecting his ongoing work within fraud awareness and prevention initiatives.

 

Media & Professional Background

Alex has spoken at established counter-fraud conferences, including Counter Fraud 2023, where he addressed mule activity and system-wide responses to financial crime.

He is also a co-presenter on the BBC Radio 4 series “Scam Secrets”, contributing to public understanding of scams and their impact.

Before his work in fraud prevention, Alex trained as a professional classical musician at the Purcell School and the Royal College of Music. He performed at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Opera House and Wigmore Hall before his career ended due to a repetitive strain injury.

Customer Reviews

5 of 5

I have had the pleasure of knowing Alex for a number of years, working with him both at the Financial Fraud Awareness Campaign, and also in collaboration. Alex has been able to provide amazing insight into what often appear complex frauds, breaking them down into bitesize pieces enabling them to be tackled. On a number of occasions, I have also been able to ask Alex for advice and guidance, both on understanding emerging trends and threats, but also on my own career path and trajectory. He is ever the professional, utilising his intimate knowledge of the fraud landscape, along with his vision and dedication to the future scope of prevention.

5 of 5

I was very fortunate to see Alex at the 2023 Counter Fraud conference, where he captivated the audience with his talk on how fraud could be combated by eliminating mule accounts. He’s now using his life experiences for good, educating the public and private sector and leading the industry to better detect and deter Financial Crime. His insights are unique. He teaches what operational experience alone can’t. To prevent Financial Crime you need to know how a criminal thinks, assess vulnerabilities and then build your defences. This is where Alex’s background can offer unparalleled learnings.

Rated 5.00/5 based on 2 customer reviews

Keynotes

Keynote by Alex Wood:

Combatting Fraud by Eliminating Mule Accounts

How organisations can detect and close mule accounts before a fraudulent event occurs, and strengthen controls around account misuse.

Key takeaways:

  • Clear understanding of how mule accounts are used in fraud schemes
  • Insight into early indicators of mule activity
  • Practical considerations for closing mule accounts prior to loss
Request a quote: Alex Wood Combatting Fraud by Eliminating Mule Accounts

Keynote by Alex Wood:

Future Threats for Generative AI

An examination of generative AI as a potential opportunity for bad actors and the emerging risks organisations must consider.

Key takeaways:

  • Awareness of how generative AI can be exploited for fraud
  • Understanding of evolving AI-enabled threat scenarios
  • Consideration of controls to address AI-driven misuse
Request a quote: Alex Wood Future Threats for Generative AI

Keynote by Alex Wood:

Underworld Banking

An exploration of cross-border threats posed by informal value transfer systems such as Hawala and Daigou.

Key takeaways:

  • Understanding of how informal banking networks operate
  • Insight into cross-border fraud and money movement risks
  • Awareness of the challenges these systems present to investigators
Request a quote: Alex Wood Underworld Banking

Keynote by Alex Wood:

Inside the Mind of a Criminal

An analysis of the fraud mindset and its relationship to the psychopathy spectrum.

Key takeaways:

  • Insight into the behavioural drivers behind fraud
  • Greater understanding of manipulation and deception tactics
  • Awareness of psychological traits associated with financial crime
Request a quote: Alex Wood Inside the Mind of a Criminal

Keynote by Alex Weber:

Deep Social Engineering

A practical look at impersonation and deception tactics used in scams, including false claims of authority and bank impersonation.

Key takeaways:

  • Understanding of how social engineering attacks are constructed
  • Awareness of common impersonation techniques
  • Insight into strengthening organisational vigilance against deception
Request a quote: Alex Wood Deep Social Engineering

Alex Wood - Cybercrime, Social Engineering and Counter Fraud Speaker

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