The way we work is changing, and while AI brings many benefits, it also opens the door to new and sophisticated forms of fraud. Our analysis has uncovered that Google searches for ‘AI receipts’ have soared by a staggering 340% between August and October 2025 . A worrying trend that should put every business leader on high alert.

This massive spike suggests that a growing number of people are exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence to generate fraudulent receipts, posing a significant new threat to businesses across the UK and beyond in terms of expense claims.

The scale of the problem

Our research supports findings from other industry experts that highlight how serious this issue is becoming.

• A recent study by SAP Concur found that 70% of CFOs suspect employees are using AI to attempt to falsify travel expenses and receipts.
• AppZen also reported that AI-generated expenses accounted for 14% of fraudulent documents submitted last month, up from 0% the previous year.

As the UK’s leading fuel card provider, we have seen first-hand the need for businesses to implement strong protection measures. The sophistication of these new scams means traditional vetting processes may no longer be enough.

Expert advice: how we can combat AI expense fraud

Jonathan Haseler, our Chief Revenue Officer, shared his expert commentary on how businesses can mitigate the effects of these AI scams related to travel expenses and spot anomalies.

"As AI becomes more accessible, businesses across the country are seeing a sharp rise in the number of fraud attempts. Receipts aren’t complicated documents to replicate, especially with the help of AI. However, this means that employers may struggle to distinguish between fraudulent documentation and real ones with the naked eye."

"While these scams can strongly mimic a real-life receipt with the logo, and even crinkled paper, there are practices that business leaders can put in place to ensure employees don’t risk submitting a scam and anomalies can be spotted more easily, saving businesses plenty of time and money in the long term."

Top tips for businesses to combat fraudulent travel expenses:

1. Educate employees regularly

Technology is evolving rapidly, and AI is becoming an integral part of many job roles. While often harmless, all employees must be aware of the risks associated with using AI for fraudulent purposes. Frequent training is essential to ensure everyone is aware of the implications and up to date on your business's clear stance regarding AI-generated expenses.

2. Go digital

Moving away from relying on easily falsified paper receipts and using digital management tools is a crucial step. Going digital helps to reduce human error and makes fraudulent claims much more challenging to slip through the cracks of your accounting system.

3. Add an additional layer of protection with fuel cards

Fuel cards are one of the most effective ways to introduce control and transparency to your road travel expenditure. Our fuel card solutions (or EV charge cards for electric vehicles) enable you to track virtually all road travel transactions. By introducing our fuel cards, your business can gain several layers of protection:

• Detailed audit trail: You receive detailed reports directly in your inbox, providing a regular audit trail that helps you identify trends that may indicate fraud.
• Easy tracking: Fuel cards can be assigned to specific groups or drivers, making it significantly easier to track usage and spot anomalies quickly.
• Security features: You can instantly block stolen or lost cards and use customer labelling to ensure cards stay with the correct person or vehicle.
• Irregular pattern detection: Our system allows you to run reports by date, location, or driver to identify irregular patterns. You can monitor driver behaviour and fuel efficiency to detect potential misuse or inefficiencies.
• Custom spending alerts: You can set custom alerts for spending limits, helping to flag suspicious behaviour early before it becomes a significant problem.
• PIN protection: All of our cards use PIN protection to reduce the risk of unauthorised use if a card is lost or stolen.
• Approved stations: You can restrict card usage to approved stations, reducing the risk of drivers making off-network purchases that require hard-to-verify receipts.

4. Bolster protection for all non-fuel expenses

AI-generated receipts can be used for any transaction, not just fuel. To tackle fraud across all spending, from hotel stays and train tickets to office supplies, consider a dedicated business expense card, such as our Velos card. These cards offer superior controls over traditional credit or debit cards:

• Real-time expense capture: Employees can instantly capture receipts via an app, linking them directly to the corresponding transaction.
• Custom spending limits: You can set individual or team spending limits that prevent overspend and policy breaches before they happen.
• Instant card control: You can easily freeze, unfreeze, or cancel a card instantly via an online portal.
• Automated reports: All expenses are consolidated into detailed digital reports, eliminating the need for manual claims and making it far easier to spot unusual activity.

5. Set clear usage limits

Beyond the fraud protection of a fuel or expense card, it is essential to ensure that all employees are aware of spending limits, who is authorised to use the card, as well as the permitted hours and geographic locations of use. Everyone should be aware that any expenses that fall outside of these strict parameters will be automatically declined. Clear rules leave no room for confusion or deception.