Fraud is on the rise. “We know that every organization is going to face attempted fraud at some point in their existence,” Andi McNeal, chief training officer at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, told CFO Brew. And CFOs, who spend so much time with financial data, may be among the first to spot it.

But if CFOs come across suspicious transactions or patterns of behavior that throw up a red flag, what should be their first move?

Just like most employees, they should formally report their suspicions to the appropriate party, be that a hotline, HR, or a corporate security team, McNeal said. Bringing the concerns to the individuals responsible for taking such reports “is by far the first and most important thing that should be done,” she noted.

If you’re concerned that senior leadership could potentially be involved in fraud, “go straight to those charged with governance, whether it’s the board of directors or an audit committee,” McNeal said.

Keep reading.—CV

Nice bonus, but no salary increase this year? You’re not alone.

Companies are increasing bonuses but standing firm on salaries, according to Korn Ferry’s most recent pulse survey on salary increase forecasts and AI’s impact on compensation, which covered responses from more than 4,250 organizations across 133 countries.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of organizations expect to pay bonuses “at or above target” this year, but salary growth isn’t unfolding in the same way.

“Across most major markets, there is a slight decrease in 2026 total salary increases [versus] our last survey in late 2025, reflecting a more conservative view on increasing fixed compensation costs in 2026,” the survey’s authors wrote.

Keep reading.—NP

United we stand, divided we fall…and by fall, we mean succumb to the advanced cyber-schemes lobbed at the travel industry.

The hospitality sector may not be the industry hardest-hit by cybercriminals (that would be the manufacturing industry, as per IBM’s 2026 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index report), but Booking.com CSO Marnie Wilking told IT Brew that it has drawn more malicious attention in recent years, making it essential for everyone in the industry to work together and stay up-to-date with the threats.

“It’s definitely become more targeted over the last several years, especially post-Covid, when travel really picked back up again, and has really gone crazy since then,” Wilking said. “So, there’s clearly quite a bit of money to be made there.”

What are threat actors up to these days? Unsurprisingly, Wilking said AI is making phishing emails more polished, and helping malicious actors create convincing fake property listings on Booking.com and other marketplace websites.

Keep reading on IT Brew.—BM

From sparking mega deals to speeding up due diligence, AI is transforming how companies pursue and execute acquisitions. Here’s why executives are using M&A to fast-track AI ambitions.