Fraud Investigations Analyst

About Gusto

Gusto supports more than 500,000 small businesses with payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR services.

Role

As a Senior Fraud Investigations Analyst on the Fraud Investigations team, independently conduct complex end-to-end investigations involving account takeover, business email compromise, identity theft, payment fraud, and emerging fraud typologies. Use investigative expertise, open-source intelligence, internal data, and AI-enabled tools to identify root causes, assess risk, and document findings.

The team investigates fraud affecting Gusto, customers, and financial partners; supports customer remediation and fund recovery; and partners across the company to strengthen fraud prevention controls.

Responsibilities

• Analyze account activity, transactions, authentication data, customer communications, and external intelligence to identify fraud indicators and develop supported investigative narratives.
• Prepare clear case narratives and Unusual Activity Referrals for Financial Crime Compliance partners when appropriate; escalate high-risk events with risk-based remediation recommendations.
• Support affected customers and coordinate fund recovery with banking partners, including Letters of Indemnity.
• Use AI-enabled tools for alert triage, issue spotting, research, evidence gathering, and documentation, critically validating outputs for accuracy and compliance with Gusto's AI policies.
• Collaborate with Risk, Compliance, Product, Engineering, and Data Science to identify emerging threats, address control gaps, and improve investigative tools and AI-assisted workflows.
• Mentor junior analysts through case reviews and structured feedback on fraud identification, evidence gathering, and case narratives.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of fraud investigations, fraud detection, or similarly complex investigative work in a financial institution, FinTech, payment processor, or regulated environment.
• Strong investigative writing and analytical skills, including documenting complex facts, developing defensible narratives, and assessing risk in ambiguous situations.
• Experience with account takeover, business email compromise, identity theft, payment fraud, and social engineering.
• Sound investigative judgment; ability to manage multiple investigations and make risk-based recommendations under pressure.
• Empathetic, clear communication with customers, external institutions, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience using AI-enabled tools in daily investigative workflows and critically evaluating outputs for accuracy, completeness, and investigative standards.
• Experience mentoring or providing structured feedback to junior investigators.
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), CAMS, or other relevant financial crime certifications are a plus.

Locations and Working Expectations

• Hybrid locations: Denver, CO; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA.
• Office attendance is expected on designated days approximately 2–3 days per week, or more depending on the role. San Francisco office expectations also encompass the San Jose metro area.
• A secure, reliable, consistent internet connection is required when approved to work away from an office, including hybrid non-office days.
• Regular, predictable attendance and timely responsiveness to colleagues and customers are expected.

Compensation and Benefits

• Denver annual cash compensation: $89,165–$112,942.
• New York and San Francisco annual cash compensation: $110,640–$136,456.
• Final offers depend on location, experience, and expertise and may vary from the listed amounts.
• Compensation includes an equity package and performance bonuses. Full-time employees receive benefits and RSUs.
• Posting metadata separately lists Start of Entry: 99,575; Midpoint: 117,000; Max of Mature: 134,426; Variable Pay Target: 5, without specifying the target's unit.

Interview and Application Information

AI is a core part of work at Gusto. Team members are expected to engage with relevant AI tools and develop their fluency; role-specific AI experience is assessed during interviews. Candidates may request medical or religious accommodations during the application process.