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ACCI 2026 Conference

April 13–15, 2026

Hilton Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The date, time, and room assignment of YOUR presentation is SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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D3a Consumer Fraud Victimization and the Shift Toward AI Financial Advice

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 8:00 AM–9:30 AM PDT
Room 3
Short Description

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in finance promises to make financial advice less costly and algorithmically objective. However, little is known about how negative financial experiences, particularly traumatic ones such as fraud, influence consumers' decisions when choosing AI for financial advice. Consumer fraud is widespread, and research shows it severely damages victims' financial well-being by eroding trust and confidence (Brenner et al., 2020). This creates a paradox: those who need guidance most may be least willing to trust human advisors. This study bridges research on the consequences of fraud and fintech adoption to address a critical gap: Do fraud victims seek out AI financial advice as an alternative? We propose an "algorithmic trust hypothesis," suggesting that when human intermediaries cause harm, victims may transfer their trust to algorithms perceived as more objective and impartial. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate whether consumer fraud victimization increases the demand for AI financial advice and to examine the roles of digital fluency and eroded trust in financial institutions in this relationship. Using NFCS state-by-state survey data, we contribute to the understanding of how fraud actively drives behavioral adaptation, potentially reversing the well-documented tendency to distrust algorithms (Dietvorst et al., 2015). The findings hold significant implications for researchers, financial planners, and consumer protection advisors.

Type of presentation

Accepted Oral Presentation

Submitter

Vikesh Kumar, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T State University

Authors

Stuart J. Heckman, Texas Tech University
Vikesh Kumar, North Carolina A&T State University
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