Why CEO fraud is a human behavior issue

CEO fraud does not rely on malware or technical exploits. It relies on people. Attackers study organizations, mimic leadership communication and create believable scenarios that feel urgent and legitimate. Employees act quickly because the request appears to come from authority.

Traditional training explains the rules. It rarely prepares people for the pressure of a message that looks and sounds like their CEO. Phantom’sLab focuses on the psychology behind CEO fraud, helping people recognize manipulation and slow down before acting.

Cybersecurity awareness, behavior change and culture | Phantom'sLab

The power of entertainment:

90% of cyberattacks

Begin with human behavior. CEO fraud exploits authority, trust and routine.

60% engagement increase

Interactive learning helps people recognize impersonation and urgency faster.

70% risk reduction

When employees experience CEO fraud scenarios firsthand, they verify more often and make safer decisions.

The numbers prove it. A game based approach turns CEO fraud awareness into engaging experiences that strengthen judgment and reduce risk.

Authority and urgency must be challenged

CEO fraud works when people do not question authority. Phantom’sLab solutions expose participants to realistic CEO fraud scenarios where pressure, timing and tone are used to influence decisions. By experiencing these moments, people learn to recognize red flags and respond securely.

  • Awareness: Phantom’s Game shows how attackers impersonate executives using email, voice and AI generated messages.
  • Behavior change: Entertainment style e learning and challenges train employees to pause, verify requests and follow secure processes.
  • Culture: Shared experiences create a culture where verification is normal and hierarchy does not override security.

What makes our approach unique?

Phantom’sLab combines storytelling, behavioral science and gamification to make CEO fraud tangible. People do not just learn what CEO fraud is. They experience how it feels. This builds instincts that traditional checkbox training cannot create.

Critical cybersecurity training topics, fully covered

AI powered attacks

Participants understand how AI is used to generate realistic executive messages and impersonation.

Deepfake driven CEO fraud

Teams experience how synthetic voices and videos mimic leadership and practice secure verification.

Advanced phishing

Employees recognize how urgency, authority and context are used to bypass controls.

Psychological manipulation

Participants explore how attackers exploit hierarchy, trust and fear to influence behavior.

Resilience and response

Participants explore how attackers exploit hierarchy, trust and fear to influence behavior.

Social engineering mastery

Employees strengthen instincts to question unusual executive requests and protect sensitive information.

Built for flexibility. Powered by our modular platform

Phantom’sLab offers a game based approach to CEO fraud awareness. Serious gaming, e learning and interactive challenges can be used individually or combined into one cohesive learning journey. Each module reinforces how impersonation works and how employees can stay in control.

Personalized for companies, public sector and education

Every organization faces different CEO fraud risks. Phantom’sLab adapts scenarios to your workflows, roles and threat landscape. Our solutions support onboarding, campaigns and continuous learning throughout the year.

What our clients say

“The game created the kind of lasting awareness that traditional training simply can’t match. Our team is now genuinely vigilant, not just compliant. What stood out most was the high level of engagement from every participant. The competitive element didn’t just make it more fun – it made it more effective.”

Visma Amili

Kevin Sheikh Workplace Experience & IT Specialist Continue reading

“The interactive approach and competitive element suddenly made cybersecurity very tangible and relevant for everyone. The game has transformed cybersecurity from an IT topic to an organization-wide responsibility. And that’s exactly what we needed.”

BAM Infra Netherlands

Christy Mohamedhoesein Cybersecurity and Machine Safety Specialist Continue reading

“At the Municipality of Meierijstad, we wanted cybersecurity to be both fun and meaningful, something that truly resonates with people. Phantom’s Game delivered exactly that. It turned abstract risks into engaging, relatable experiences that got everyone involved and talking. The balance of competition, humor, and genuine insight made the topic accessible and left a lasting impact across the entire organization.”

Municipality of Meierijstad

Kees van Rooij Cyber Mayor of the Netherlands Continue reading

“Phantom’s Game transformed our students from confident learners into genuinely aware security professionals who understand their own vulnerabilities. The game uniquely blends excitement and education. Our students didn’t just understand cyber threats — they experienced them.”

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Michael Drent Cybersecurity Coordinator and Lecturer Continue reading

“At Fransen Gerrits, we believe it’s important that our people know how to deal with digital risks, especially since our insurer also emphasizes this. Joris convinced me that Phantam’s Game is not a standard awareness training, but rather something that truly sticks. And I haven’t regretted it for a second. Fun and educational. A must for any organization that wants more than just a dry presentation about cybersecurity.”

Fransen Gerrits

Huub Fransen Owner Continue reading

“At Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, we wanted to kick off the academic year with something that would truly grab attention and set the tone. Phantom’s Game did exactly that, turning cybersecurity from abstract theory into an engaging, hands-on experience. It was interactive, surprising, and sparked valuable discussions among students. A powerful and memorable way to build awareness from day one.”

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Ruben Julen Lecturer-Researcher in Digital Business Continue reading

“At Snowminds, we wanted to boost cybersecurity awareness within our young, international team, without it feeling like another dull training. Phantom’s Game hit the mark perfectly. Competitive, fast-paced, and full of surprises, it kept everyone engaged from start to finish. It made digital risks feel real, sparked great conversations, and turned learning about cybersecurity into a fun and truly memorable experience.”

Snowminds

Yuri Bartels Owner Continue reading

“At the University of Antwerp, we wanted students to go beyond theory and feel what cyber risk really means. Phantom’s Game offers exactly that – an immersive, realistic experience that sparks reflection, curiosity, and genuine awareness. It encourages students to think critically about their own digital behavior and vulnerabilities. It turns learning about cybersecurity into something truly memorable.”

University of Antwerp

Tim Apers Coordinator & Teaching Assistant Continue reading

“At the Municipality of Hardenberg, we wanted our colleagues to really feel what a cyberattack looks like – not just hear about it. Phantom’s Game turned out to be the perfect way to do that. Realistic, engaging, and full of surprises, it made cybersecurity tangible and sparked great conversations across departments. Fun, eye-opening, and definitely worth repeating.”

Municipality of Hardenberg

Joanne Hoogeveen Privacy Officer/Security Officer Continue reading

“At Biemans Accountants, we face digital threats like phishing and malware every day, so we needed a solution that would truly make an impact. Phantom´s Game proved to be the perfect mix of fun and realism — not just another dry training, but an engaging experience that made everyone think. It sparked meaningful discussions and built lasting awareness across our entire team.”

Biemans Accountants

Desirée van der Wielen Secretarial Employee Continue reading

“Phantom’s Game normalized cybersecurity conversations across our organization. Our team now actively protects our clients’ sensitive data through collective vigilance. The game started conversations we normally wouldn’t have, and that’s exactly where true awareness begins.”

Janssen & Janssen

Sharon Tulp Inside sales representative Continue reading

“Phantom’s Game delivered exactly what we hoped for: a stronger team, increased awareness, and lasting behavioral change. The perfect investment in both culture and security. In our view, it’s a great way to highlight the risks of cybercrime through the right balance of fun and information. Highly recommended!”

PortXchange Products B.V.

Marian Maartense HR Manager Continue reading

“Phantom’s Game showed us how quickly a simple mistake can lead to serious consequences. That realization has made our team much more proactive about security. The game reinvigorated our approach to cybersecurity training. Our team is now actively engaged, sharing knowledge, and applying security awareness in everything they do.”

Synaxion B.V.

Andre Kuijt Manager R&D Continue reading

FAQ

Phantom’sLab immerses participants in realistic CEO fraud scenarios. Employees experience authority driven manipulation and practice verifying requests before acting. This builds confidence and secure habits that last beyond the training.

Research shows gamified training increases engagement by 60% and productivity by 43%. When you add storytelling, knowledge retention skyrockets. People remember stories and experiences, not bullet points. Our game-based approach means employees don’t just complete training. They actually learn, remember, and apply what they’ve experienced.

We’re not from the cybersecurity industry. We come from entertainment. Our roots are in escape rooms, VR experiences, and serious gaming. We’ve created over 100 games for more than 1 million players. We know how to captivate people. Traditional e-learning asks, “How do we make this compliant?” We ask, “How do we make this unforgettable?” That’s the difference. Curious? Just request a demo. You will feel the difference instantly.

Absolutely. In fact, that’s exactly who needs it most. Hackers don’t target your IT department. They target your HR manager, your finance team, your receptionist. Anyone who uses email or handles data. Our solutions are designed for everyone, regardless of technical background. We make complex threats understandable and relatable. No jargon. Just real scenarios people face every day.

Faster than you think. Our game is ready to deploy, and we can customize it to your organization within weeks. You’ll receive game tickets, personalized videos, and even popcorn buckets for your team. The experience starts before the training begins. From first contact to full implementation, we handle everything. You focus on your business. We’ll make your people cyber-ready.

Meet the team redefining cybersecurity training

Phantom’sLab is an award winning CyberLab rooted in storytelling, behavioral science and game design. With more than one million users and over one hundred game based experiences, we help organizations strengthen their human defense against modern threats.

“CEO fraud works because authority feels urgent. Training must teach people when to slow down.”

Joris van den Bergh, Founder & Game Architect

Joris van den Bergh - Cybersecurity Awareness | Phantom'sLab

Ready to protect your organization from CEO fraud?

Help people recognize authority driven manipulation before it causes damage. Request your free demo and experience the Phantom’sLab approach.