Global Fraud Attacks Surge 8% as Synthetic Identities and Advanced Bots Emerge as Key Threats

Fraud attacks have escalated globally by 8% over the past year, driven by the rise of synthetic identities and increasingly sophisticated bots that mimic human behavior. This alarming trend is detailed in a recent Cybercrime Report from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which analyzed over 116 billion online transactions processed through its Digital Identity Network in 2025.

The Rise of Synthetic Identities

The report highlights a significant increase in synthetic identity fraud, which now constitutes over 11% of global fraud cases—a staggering eightfold rise year-on-year. This type of fraud involves the amalgamation of stolen personal data to create entirely new identities, often developed over time to evade detection and maximize returns.

First-party fraud remains a persistent issue, accounting for 38.3% of reported cases worldwide for the second consecutive year. However, regional disparities are evident. In the EMEA region, first-party fraud represents more than half (51.7%) of cases, while in Latin America, it accounts for less than 10%. Here, synthetic identity fraud is far more prevalent, comprising 48.3% of cases.

Emerging Trends in Cybercrime

The report also identifies a rapid growth in ‘agentic’ traffic, referring to automated digital agents that interact online in ways resembling human behavior. This type of activity surged by 450% between January and December 2025, particularly in credit card transactions and logins to gaming and gambling platforms. Although not always malicious, these agents pose new challenges for fraud detection.

Simultaneously, malicious bots are becoming increasingly advanced, capable of convincingly mimicking human actions, such as cursor movements. This sophistication has led to a 59% rise in bot-driven attacks over the past year, with notable spikes occurring in March, April, and August 2025.

Sector-Specific Impacts

E-commerce platforms and online betting services have emerged as prime targets for fraud. The report indicates that fraud attack rates in e-commerce rose by 64% year-on-year, while login attacks—often used to hijack customer accounts—increased by 216%. Gaming and gambling sites experienced a 76% rise in global attack rates.

Stephen Topliss, Vice President of Fraud and Identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, noted that fraud continues to evolve rapidly alongside digital innovation. Organizations are strengthening their defenses, yet cybercriminal networks are scaling automation and shifting tactics to exploit vulnerabilities across the digital customer journey. “Increasingly, attackers rely on advanced bots and AI-driven tools to mimic human behavior and test defenses with unprecedented speed and accuracy,” Topliss stated.

Regional Insights

Regionally, North America has seen periodic spikes in e-commerce fraud, although overall attack rates have stabilized at around 2.2%. In the EMEA region, fraud has surged significantly for the first time in several years, rising by 27% year-on-year, largely due to account takeover attempts.

The Asia-Pacific region has also experienced robust growth in digital transactions, accompanied by rising fraud activity, with attack rates reaching 1.7%. This increase is partly attributed to more sophisticated desktop-based attacks. Meanwhile, Latin America continues to exhibit diverse fraud patterns, with particular concern surrounding synthetic identity fraud linked to expanding digital services.

Topliss emphasized the need for organizations to prepare for a future where both legitimate users and malicious actors utilize automated agents for online interactions. “Those that succeed must be able to confidently distinguish between humans, bots, and agents, as well as determine intent. We continue to see increasing collaboration between organizations with global digital intelligence, advanced analytics, and strong cross-industry partnerships. Organizations that share risk intelligence are best positioned to protect consumers and build trust in the digital economy,” he remarked.

For further insights into the evolving landscape of fraud and cybersecurity, refer to the original reporting source. Source: securitymiddleeastmag.com.

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