# Transaction fraud alerts

Get notified when Stripe detects unusual fraud patterns.

Stripe continuously monitors your payment activity for signs of fraud attacks. When we detect unusual patterns—such as a significant shift in the distribution of Radar risk scores—we send you an email and display an alert in the [Radar page](https://dashboard.stripe.com/radar) of your Dashboard.

Fraud attacks can result in lost revenue, increased dispute fees, and potential enrollment in card network [monitoring programs](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/analytics.md#card-monitoring-programs). By alerting you to potential attacks when we detect unusual patterns, Stripe gives you the tools to respond quickly and mitigate these risks.

## Receive fraud alerts

When Stripe detects a potential fraud attack on your account, we notify you with:

- **Email notification**: An email describing the detected attack with a link to view details in your Dashboard
- **Dashboard notification**: A bell notification in your Dashboard with a link to view details

The email and Dashboard notification direct you to a dedicated fraud alert investigation page where you can review the details and take action.

## Review fraud alerts

When you access a fraud alert in your Dashboard, you can:

- **View risk trends**: See charts showing the distribution of Radar risk scores or risk levels over the alert period compared to previous weeks.
- **Review suspicious transactions**: Access a list of payments with elevated risk that might warrant investigation.
- **Understand the impact**: See the volume and count of potentially fraudulent payments.

## Take action on fraud alerts

If [your plan](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/how-radar-works.md#compare-plans) supports this feature, you can take the following actions when you receive a fraud alert:

- **Review elevated risk payments**: See which recent transactions have elevated or high risk levels.
- **Verify the attack**: Confirm whether the shift in risk levels matches your expectations.
- **Review recommended refunds**: View [Stripe’s recommendations](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/transaction-reviews.md#smart-refunds) for payments to refund proactively to avoid disputes.
- **Enable fraud controls**: Use [fraud controls](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/risk-settings.md) to intelligently block or authenticate higher-risk payments and reduce fraud.
- **Adjust your strategy**: Create or modify [Radar rules](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/rules.md) to target the specific fraud patterns identified.

## Best practices

When you receive a fraud alert:

1. **Act quickly**: Fraud attacks can escalate rapidly. Review the alert as soon as possible to help minimize losses.
2. **Verify the pattern**: Check whether the detected risk shift aligns with expected changes in your business activity or represents actual fraudulent behavior.
3. **Review flagged transactions**: Examine the high-risk payments listed in the alert. Look for common patterns such as similar billing addresses, IP addresses, or card BINs.
4. **Take preventive action**: Use the tools available to you to mitigate the risk of further fraudulent transactions.
5. **Monitor results**: After taking action, continue monitoring your fraud metrics to make sure the attack has been mitigated.

## Related resources

- [Risk settings](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/risk-settings.md) — Configure how Radar handles different risk levels.
- [Radar rules](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/rules.md) — Create custom rules to block specific fraud patterns.
- [Dispute prevention](https://docs.stripe.com/disputes/prevention.md) — Review strategies to reduce disputes.
- [Card monitoring programs](https://docs.stripe.com/radar/analytics.md#card-monitoring-programs) — Understand card network fraud thresholds.