Fraud Investigator

At Koalafi, we believe in a world where no one has to put an important purchase on hold. That’s why we’re making it easier for more people to pay for big purchases over time.

Retailers across the country rely on us to offer flexible lease-to-own financing to their non-prime consumers, while increasing sales and strengthening customer loyalty. Their 2M+ customers love us because we provide a flexible way for them to make payments and give them an opportunity to improve their credit. Our 200+ Koalafi teammates enjoy inspiring and challenging work that accelerates their careers.

Interested in learning more about how we’re transforming the financing experience and joining our team?

What You’ll Do

Koalafi partners with thousands of merchants across the country to offer point-of-sale financing and receives over a million customer applications per year. As a Fraud Investigator, you will monitor and research risk signals for both customers and merchants that could indicate some form of fraud is being committed. This includes a risk assessment during onboarding of new merchants, ongoing monitoring/review of merchant performance, and review of applications flagged for potential fraud.

As a Fraud Investigator, you will look for systemic patterns in suspicious customer and merchant behavior and conduct deep dives/investigations to determine legitimacy. This includes identity theft, synthetic IDs, manipulated IDs, taking advantage of vulnerable persons, and taking advantage of family or friends. Fraud Investigators have several tools available to assist in their research, such as application data, internal system of record data, internet search data, and third-party fraud prevention tools. You will be expected to use these tools and call available telephone numbers to reach as accurate a conclusion as possible.

In this role you will:

• Identify systemic patterns in suspicious customer and merchant behavior and conduct investigations

• Review and evaluate all new merchant partners during onboarding, to ensure we are partnering with the right stores and good actors

• Manage inbound fraud claims and perform ad hoc research into uncommon scenarios that could indicate foul play

• Leverage tools such as application data, internal system of record data, internet search data, and third-party fraud prevention tools to reach accurate investigation conclusions

• Collaborate across multiple departments, such as Sales, Operations, Fraud Analytics, and Compliance

About You (Qualifications)

• 2+ years of relevant experience in fraud detection, investigation, or related financial services experience

• Strong pattern recognition and attention to detail, with a strong commitment to quality, accuracy, consistency, and confidentiality

• Ability to conduct thorough research using multiple data sources

• Experience documenting processes, procedures, and investigation findings

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong interpersonal skills; you’re comfortable having difficult conversations with merchants

• Strong sense of ownership and motivation to stop fraudsters

• Proficiency in tools like Microsoft Excel and Word; familiarity with fraud databases or investigative platforms is a plus

• Ability to work independently and efficiently, both in-person and on work from home days

• Experience working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with strong prioritization skills and ability to handle multiple responsibilities at once

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent certification

• Location Requirement: This position requires regular in-person attendance at our office (Richmond, VA). Candidates must already be located within a commutable distance to our office location, as relocation assistance is not available at this time.

Why choose Koalafi: A career at Koalafi means opportunities to tackle exciting challenges every single day. We take pride in a culture of innovation, trust, and ownership. You'll get outside your comfort zone, build meaningful relationships, and most of all, take charge of projects that ultimately help people get the things they need most.

Benefits:

At Koalafi, you will have a direct impact on our products and help shape the company’s success. We offer competitive compensation & benefits packages to keep you at your best:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

• 20 PTO days + 11 paid holidays

• 401(k) retirement with company matching

• Student Loan & Tuition Reimbursement

• Commuter assistance

• Parental leave (maternal + paternal)

• Inclusion and Associate Engagement Programs

Who we are & what we value:

• We focus on what’s most important

• We set clear expectations and deliver

• We embrace challenges to reach our full potential

• We ask, “How can this be better?”

• We move fast together