Humans have been ripping each other off since they first discovered the concept of lying but in 300 BC, the first ever official record of a fraud case was made. A merchant in Greece took out an insurance policy, borrowed money and planned to sink his boat. Unfortunately for him, things did not go according to plan. Since then, fraud has become more complex and harder to detect, as technology has evolved. So how can we protect ourselves now and in the future, and what new dangers do we need to be looking out for?

Deeply researched and littered with expert testimony, The Future of Fraud will explore interesting fraud cases past and present, and expose how the technology we depend upon today is also perfectly poised to exploit us: from social media, the dark web and gaming, to cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. And as well as parting us from our money, fraud is eroding the trust between humans and the state, and between each other.

The only way to tackle the fraud epidemic, argues Holmes, is head on, via education, language, technology and regulation. We need everyone to understand the dangers and have protections in place to stop the bad guys. Are we fighting a losing battle, or can we make the future a safer place for everyone?

Praise for Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You

• ‘Scammers, con-artists, catfishers – you have met your match. At last the web-bastards get their just deserts’ Jeremy Vine
• ‘A fabulous and – dare I say it – important read.' Jane Fallon, author of Over Sharing
• ‘A revealing, revolting look into the world of online romance fraud.’ Daily Telegraph

Becky Holmes is the creator of and voice behind the popular X account @deathtospinach, where she publicly ‘outs’ online fraudsters. Her first book about romance fraud, Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud, was published by Unbound in 2024.  She is well-respected in the fraud industry and is regularly called upon as a media talking head and to speak at conferences alongside other industry experts. She lives in Stratford-Upon-Avon.