Fraud against the financial services sector includes transaction fraud such as check forgery and credit card fraud, and identity-related fraud such as the theft and alteration of documents or the creation of a completely fictitious identity supported by fabricated documents. Actions taken to respond to the problems have occurred both within individual financial institutions, as well as within the entire industry. In addition, some initiatives have involved cooperation among the financial services sector, police agencies, and government. Preventive actions include fraud training, fraud risk assessment, automated fraud detection, and a policy that requires fraud prevention controls in all products and systems. Gradual recognition that fraud is not a competitive issue now provides a basis for industry-wide initiatives. The creation of a national fraud database is one of the most urgent needs. The Australian Bankers’ Association has established a research project to assess the viability of such a database. Another industry-wide initiative has been the establishment of the Australian Credit Card Industry Fraud forum. The industry also needs to collaborate with government to address this issue. 8 references