Every second, somewhere in the digital world, a costly customer dispute or chargeback request is initiated, draining revenue and eroding customer trust. As e-commerce and online transactions flourish, merchants face increasingly sophisticated challenges. Amidst the noise of automation and AI-driven solutions, one company is redefining how these financial disputes are managed: Fraud Deflect. This leading technology company focuses on the prevention of chargebacks, built upon a foundation of proprietary technology guided by empathy, experience, and a crucial human touch.

Co-founded by the dynamic duo Mari Perroni (COO) and Scott Adams (CEO), Fraud Deflect was born to rewrite the rules of dispute management. Their shared passion is for protecting revenue, preserving reputation, and empowering merchants to grow with confidence.

The Human Element: Mari Perroni and the Power of Intuition

Mari Perroni, the company’s COO and Co-founder, brings more than 15 years of experience in the payments and fraud industry. Her leadership philosophy is unique, rooted in a natural inclination to connect with people and help them grow, stemming from her past career as a teacher in Brazil. Mari’s career path included roles in customer service at LEGO and leadership positions within the online gamer industry at companies like Jagex and Riot Games.

It was there that she had her first close encounter with fraud, a moment that would change her life. While working in customer support at Jagex, a young gamer reached out for help after losing access to his account. Though fraud and chargeback prevention wasn’t her role, Mari’s instincts told her something was off. She dug deeper and discovered a large-scale network of fraudulent transactions tied to over 300 accounts. “I didn’t have any tools or experience,” she recalls. “I just had the passion to help one kid, and that changed everything.”

Mari’s time working at online companies, often called merchants in the industry, have given The Fraud Deflect team a unique perspective when it comes to helping their customers. “When you’ve been in their shoes, dealing with all the day-to-day requirements of managing an online business, I think it puts us in a unique position to help them with one of the more painful areas of doing business, chargebacks.” said Mari.

That experience underscores a fundamental belief that became the foundation for Fraud Deflect: while technology is invaluable, there is no substitute for human perception and empathy. This conviction defines Fraud Deflect’s identity. What began as a consulting partnership with her husband, Scott Adams (also a former online merchant), quickly grew into a technology company when clients sought a better solution, one that didn’t just detect issues after the fact but prevented disputes before they happened.

Mari remains adamant that technology alone will never be enough. Fraud Deflect leverages the synergy of human intelligence and technology to tailor solutions that are both strategic and compassionate, moving beyond mere data processing. “When merchants are having trouble with their chargebacks, it’s often a very emotional thing. Chargebacks cause loss of revenue, loss of customer trust, disrupts payment processes, and can really put a merchant in a difficult spot. Some merchants have even lost their ability to transact online. Talking with a company that understands their predicament provides a level of comfort that is harder to find today.” Mari added.

FD.ID: The Technology Redefining Chargeback Prevention

Fraud Deflect distinguishes itself from traditional fraud mitigation vendors by focusing on what they call FD.ID, a proprietary technological approach designed specifically for chargeback prevention. The company’s core mission is to help merchants stop playing defense and start a more proactive approach to chargeback mitigation.

Fraud Deflect helps merchants stop disputes before they become chargebacks, which is crucial for reducing chargeback rates, saving sales, and staying below the penalty thresholds set by card brands. The technology works by intercepting chargeback requests in real time.

The technology has translated into remarkable results. Fraud Deflect has helped clients reduce disputes by as much as 85%, far surpassing industry norms. One of the company’s earliest clients, a nutraceutical business struggling with 7% chargeback rates, saw its numbers drop to below 1% in just three weeks. Within a month, their rate fell to 0.3%. Their success story became so striking that their payment processor initially thought there was a mistake. “They were so impressed they flew in from another state to meet us,” Mari laughs. “That’s when you know you’ve made a difference.”

How FD.ID Technology Works

When a customer initiates a dispute with their issuing bank (the issuer), Fraud Defects’ system instantly connects with the issuer through an API. This immediate connection allows the platform to provide key transaction details, such as who made the purchase, where, and what was bought.

This transparency allows the issuer to resolve misunderstandings immediately, effectively turning the issuer into an extension of the merchant’s customer support team. Data is shared instantly with the bank, stopping the dispute before it escalates. This process provides merchants with critical advantages:

Chargeback Prevention: The primary goal is to stop chargebacks before they happen. One client saw their chargebacks drop by 93% within 90 days. The technology has blocked 98% of chargebacks for some clients, achieving a remarkable 0.1% chargeback rate.

Saving the Sale: By resolving the misunderstanding immediately, the merchant can SAVE THE SALE and avoid issuing a refund.

VAMP Compliance: Fraud Deflect is essential for helping merchants stay under card-network thresholds like the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP), that went into effect earlier this year, which unifies dispute and fraud monitoring by introducing the VAMP Ratio.

This focus on providing “a level of visibility they’ve never had before” allows merchants to see their fraud data in real time. That clarity has translated into exceptional results, proving that technology achieves its greatest potential when guided by human intelligence and care.

A Human-Centri Philosophy in Cybersecurity

Their complementary strengths, Adams’ strategic vision and Mari’s empathetic leadership, have cultivated a team that values transparency, trust, and innovation. These principles have not only driven their success but also earned them deep loyalty from clients who appreciate the human element behind the technology. Fraud Deflects’ growth trajectory is impressive. With a strong foothold in the United States and expanding operations in Europe and Latin America, the company is scaling both its technology and its impact.

A Company That Builds Trust

Despite the growing influence of AI in the fraud prevention space, Mari remains adamant that technology alone will never be enough. Recalling her recent speaking engagement at a leadership conference in Brazil, she shares, “Everyone was talking about AI replacing human jobs. But at the end of the day, AI might recognize patterns and speed up operations, but it still lacks the intuition, empathy, or the soul that drives human connection.”

That conviction, rooted in both experience and heart, defines Fraud Deflects’ identity. It’s not just a company that builds systems; it’s a company that builds trust. Whether it’s saving a sale, protecting a merchant, or empowering a client to make smarter decisions, Fraud Deflect proves that technology achieves its greatest potential when guided by human intelligence and care. As Mari puts it, “Fraud prevention isn’t just about data. It’s about people. That’s something no algorithm will ever replace.”