MRC Vegas 2026 Keynote Spotlight: Becky Holmes on the Human Side of Fraud

Fraud doesn’t just impact balance sheets—it reshapes lives. As scams become more personal, sophisticated, and emotionally manipulative, the payments and fraud prevention community is being challenged to rethink how risk is identified, understood, and addressed in an increasingly personal digital landscape.

At MRC Vegas 2026, keynote speaker Becky Holmes brings the human dimension of fraud to the mainstage. A leading voice on scams and social engineering and the author of Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love With You, Holmes is known for cutting through stereotypes to reveal how fraud really works—and why anyone can become a victim. In the Q&A below, she shares what she hopes to spark among MRC Vegas attendees, why romance fraud is uniquely devastating, and how new technologies are changing the threat landscape faster than ever.

Romance fraud is often discussed in terms of financial loss. What do you think the industry most underestimates about its emotional impact on victims?

In your research and storytelling, what common psychological tactics do scammers rely on to build trust so quickly, and why do they continue to work?

Fraudsters are masterly at very quickly tapping into what we care about at any given moment, whether that be meeting a new partner, finding a bargain, supporting a charity, paying a bill or getting a return on investment. Human needs have changed very little over the years–most of us want to love and be loved, do good in the world, and live with financial security. These things won’t change in any of our lifetimes, so offering us ways to achieve these desires will always be successful. Just as we become more savvy at spotting tell-tale signs of scams, they become more savvy at hiding them.  

How are romance and social-engineering scams evolving alongside new technologies and digital platforms?

Dating platforms and social media sites have always been prime hunting grounds for romance fraudsters, but there were always some pointers we could share to have people look closer at who they are speaking to. For example, we would often tell people that if they can’t have a video call with the person, it is highly suspicious. Because of AI, we can no longer say that, as fraudsters can use new technology to make these calls. Likewise, we used to be able to look at discrepancies in language to see if a person was pretending to be from a particular nationality. Large language models allow people to write almost flawlessly in any language they want to, even down to individual dialects. It’s a huge challenge.

You’ve spoken with victims across different demographics — are there any persistent myths about who falls for scams that the industry needs to let go of?

The industry needs to let go of the idea of victims of romance fraud being gullible, desperate, middle-aged women. I have spoken to people from all walks of life, and I can say categorically that not one fitted that stereotype. To think they do does victims the most terrible injustice.

MRC Vegas brings together payments and fraud prevention leaders from across the ecosystem. What conversations do you hope your keynote will spark among this audience specifically?

I’d like delegates to consider the non-financial impact of fraud and to see the role that coercive control and psychological manipulation play, particularly in more emotionally charged types of fraud. I hope the resulting conversation explores how assumptions about victim behavior can be damaging and limit our overall understanding of certain kinds of fraud, leaving us with less to dissect and learn from.

See Becky Holmes Live at MRC Vegas 2026

Becky Holmes’ keynote, When Fraud Gets Personal, is a powerful reminder that understanding fraud means understanding people. Her insights challenge long-held assumptions, confront uncomfortable truths, and offer critical perspective for anyone working to protect customers and businesses in today’s digital economy.