Cyber Fraud Trends in 2025

As technology - particularly artificial intelligence (AI) - becomes more prevalent, fraud and financial crime are evolving just as rapidly. A visualcapitalist.com analysis, conducted in partnership with Inigo Insurance, reveals the top threats shaping the risk landscape in 2025.

Here are the top fraud trends to watch this year:

1. The threat of social engineering

Criminals are bypassing technical barriers by targeting individuals directly. Social engineering, a form of manipulation by which criminals trick people into giving them confidential information, now accounts for 23% of banking fraud. This highlights the need for greater awareness and education in the field.

2. Misuse of artificial intelligence

AI is fueling a new wave of fraud, as it allows perpetrators to orchestrate more sophisticated scams. Over 40% of attempts now use tools like deepfakes, phishing, and forged documents to deceive victims and systems alike.

3. Identity Abuse

Stolen personal data is exploited to open or misuse credit accounts, making identity theft a persistent and growing challenge for financial institutions.

4. Exploiting Faster Payments

Real-time payments and automation are making it easier for criminals to spread fake content quickly - posing a $91 billion risk by 2028 if left unchecked.

5. The Resurgence of Low-Fi Fraud

As regulators crack down on high-tech schemes, criminals are reviving old-fashioned methods like check fraud, which can still go undetected.

6. Increasing number of cyberattacks on financial institutions

Cyberattacks - often supported by foreign actors - are becoming more severe, as seen in major incidents such as the theft of $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency from Bybit. As geopolitical tensions escalate around the world, this threat is one to watch in 2025.

In conclusion, as financial crime becomes more sophisticated - combining emerging technologies with old-fashioned scams - the need for a dynamic and up-to-date approach has never been greater, according to the cited source.