A business leader recently noticed a strange charge on a company credit card. It was small and just a few dollars at first and they assumed it was no big deal and valid. The kind of charge most people scroll right past. The assumption? “It’s probably nothing, we’ll look later.”
Later never came. The fraudster kept testing the card, slowly increasing the amounts. Weeks went by, the card kept getting billed and they didn’t reconcile monthly…. By the time the issue was finally noticed again, the total was just under $10,000. The bank refused to credit the full amount because the fraudulent activity had gone unreported for too long. You need to check your bank to understand dispute timelines.
A small delay turned into a big financial loss.
This could happen to any business that does not monitor charges consistently.
Fraud does not always start loud or obvious. It sneaks in, tests boundaries and ignoring small charges is exactly how criminals win.
Here’s how businesses can prevent this from happening:
Review every card daily or at least weekly
Fraud builds in silence. A small unauthorized charge is the first alarm bell. Quick review means quick action and almost zero loss.Require receipts or documentation for every transaction
If someone on your team cannot verify a charge, the charge shouldn’t exist or be approved to pay. This protects you and protects them from suspicion or mistakes.Set up transaction alerts for all company cards
Mobile and email alerts catch issues before statements ever show them. This keeps your finance team informed in real time.Separate purchasing roles and approvals
No single person should control spending without oversight. Dual control protects company cash and builds accountability inside the team.Report suspicious activity immediately
Banks will help, but only if you help them by noticing quickly. Delays destroy your chances of getting money back.
A Framework for Smarter Voice AI Decisions
Deploying Voice AI doesn’t have to rely on guesswork.
This guide introduces the BELL Framework — a structured approach used by enterprises to reduce risk, validate logic, optimize latency, and ensure reliable performance across every call flow.
Learn how a lifecycle approach helps teams deploy faster, improve accuracy, and maintain predictable operations at scale.
Fraud is not just a banking issue. It is a process and oversight issue inside the business. Veterans and small business owners fight hard for every dollar. You should never lose cash because someone else found an easy way to take it.
If you want help setting up stronger card controls, monitoring, and approvals for 2026, reply to this email. Let’s protect your cash before anyone else touches it.
Sponsoring the Cash Flow Chronicles today is THE HUSTLE DAILY!!
Thank you for supporting our newsletter. Each time a reader engages with our sponsor’s ad, this directly supports CFC’s mission to be the TOP FINANCIAL newsletter Beehiiv has to offer.
Even if you do not buy a product, subscribe, etc. this greatly supports our mission. Take 5 seconds today and check them out!
The Hustle: Claude Hacks For Marketers
Some people use Claude to write emails. Others use it to basically run their entire business while they play Wordle.
This isn't just ChatGPT's cooler cousin. It's the AI that's quietly revolutionizing how smart people work – writing entire business plans, planning marketing campaigns, and basically becoming the intern you never have to pay.
The Hustle's new guide shows you exactly how the AI-literate are leaving everyone else behind. Subscribe for instant access.
Veteran business owner? Take command of your cash flow and tighten your financial systems. Join The Profit Platoon — a community built for Veterans.
