At first glance, digital security executives and companies would have reason to celebrate. TransUnion’s latest global report for the first half of 2026 finds that the rate of suspected digital fraud attempts worldwide declined to 3.8% in 2025 — the lowest level since 2022. The study considers two sources of intelligence: insights from a global survey involving 12,730 consumers in 18 countries and those who have won from billions of transactions within TransUnion’s proprietary global intelligence network.
But this drop does not mean less fraud. One of the reasons is the increase in the volume of digital transactions: with more people purchasing and carrying out transactions online, the proportion of suspected cases may be more diluted. What’s more: according to the report, the attacks became surgical, highly sophisticated and financially devastating.
“Fraudsters have also changed the way they act. They use leaked data, stolen credentials and social engineering to access accounts or create access that
seem legitimate. Another important point is that attacks are increasingly focused on consumers — and not on company systems — which makes identification difficult by traditional detection tools,” details the study report.
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Therefore, even with the drop in the general rate, the scenario remains more complex, with increasingly convincing scams that affect consumers’ confidence and wallets.
Security becomes a competitive advantage
The study’s findings could have an impact on the business of those who sell services or products digitally: more than two-thirds of global consumers interviewed (77%) mentioned that trust in the security of their personal data is the most important factor when choosing who they will transact with online. In Latin America, this number reaches 83%. .
According to the survey, consumers seek safe, secure and convenient digital experiences, especially in financial transactions and more than half of consumers (56%) said they would probably change companies in search of a superior experience. When pointing out factors that would prevent returning to a website, concerns about fraud were the most cited, by 65% of respondents.
In this scenario, to attract and retain customers, organizations need to demonstrate confidence in the use of data. Nearly half of consumers (49%) ranked personal information security as the most important attribute in online businesses.
Most susceptible segments
Among the segments analyzed, the electronic gaming industry, which includes betting and poker, suffered the highest percentage of suspected digital fraud attempts, reaching 12.8% in 2025 (compared to 7% in 2024). In second place were community services such as online dating sites.
There is a reason for the leadership in the ranking: criminals exploit the social and interactive nature of these environments, including video games and online communities, creating fake profiles to apply scams and misleading offers to consumers. In some cases, the objective is direct fraud, but more often, these approaches are used to collect personal information, which later enables account takeover attempts (ATO) or the opening of new fraudulent accounts.
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The vulnerability in “Onboarding”
The study accurately mapped the customer journey and found that the moment of greatest danger for companies is during account opening (onboarding). In Latin America, 5.7% of digital registration attempts are suspected of fraud.
In the region, among consumers who reported financial losses due to digital fraud in the last year, the average was US$1,973 (around R$10,989), with significant impacts on personal finances and confidence in the use of digital channels.
Mexico is the country in the region with the highest average loss (R$18,754) and Chile, with the lowest (R$7,970). In Brazil, although the average loss was below that found in Latin America (R$ 10,699), there was an increase of 60% compared to 2024. What’s more: the general rate of digital fraud in the country reached 3.8%, above the regional average, indicating greater exposure to risks.
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In all Latin American countries, the wishes (combination of words voice e phishing, which describes scams carried out through telephone or voice calls), was the most reported scam among consumers in the region who suffered financial losses, in contrast to the global scenario, where schemes of theft and misuse of information on e-commerce sites and orange accounts predominate.
But there is also positive data: in 2025, investments in fraud prevention contributed to a 46% reduction in suspected digital fraud attempts in the Latin American countries analyzed, compared to 2024.
