Fraud

What are velocity checks?

Fraud detection rules that measure the frequency, count, or cumulative value of events within a defined time window. Velocity checks are used to identify abnormal patterns that may indicate automated attacks, card testing, credential stuffing, or bust-out fraud. Common velocity metrics include the number of transactions per hour, login attempts per device, or new account registrations per IP address.

How it works

Example: A velocity check flags a payment card that has been used for 30 transactions of $1.00 each within five minutes across different merchants—a classic card testing pattern used to validate stolen card numbers before making larger fraudulent purchases.