The article is aimed at studying the socioeconomic basis for the contradictions in the real sector of the economy and their impact on the currently extant types and forms of financial fraud. Uncertainty and increased socioeconomic risks generate various economic conflicts – contradictions of economic interests at all levels – from national levels of management to individual groups of workers. The article presents the most significant of the current contradictions in the economic and social spheres. Their presence and periodic aggravation leads to economic conflicts, which carry the potential for destructive consequences and social losses. One of these types of conflicts is financial fraud, which tends to expand in the real sector of the economy. The current state of financial fraud and abuse in the world and in Ukraine is analyzed; a classification of types of corporate financial fraud and the amount of financial losses suffered by the organizations both worldwide and in Ukraine from the fraudulent activities is provided. A definition of corporate fraud, which should be considered from the standpoint of potential subjects of abuse as an action of destabilizing subjective factors related to violation of laws, procedures and norms, as well as unfair behavior of economic agents, causing potential or real financial losses for enterprise, is proposed. The necessity of monitoring the occurrence and severity of economic, social, ecological and other contradictions as preventive measures for the prevention and development of financial fraud in the real sector of the economy is substantiated.