Fraud Costs Businesses Nearly 8% of Their Equivalent Revenues Globally, TransUnion Reports
Fraud is draining business resources at an alarming and unprecedented rate. According to TransUnion’s (NYSE: TRU) H2 2025 Top Fraud Trends Report, companies worldwide lost 7.7% of their annual revenue on average due to fraud over the past year, representing an estimated $534 billion across the 1,200 business leaders surveyed.
“Fraudsters are exploiting every digital touchpoint, from account creation to login and transaction. The financial impact is staggering and organisations must rethink how they verify, identity, and secure customer interactions. To stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats, businesses must embrace innovative thinking and deploy adaptive strategies that disrupt fraud at every stage of the consumer lifecycle,” said Steve Yin, Global Head of Fraud at TransUnion.
The report, which draws on proprietary data from TransUnion’s global intelligence network and surveys of business leaders in six countries and consumers across 18 countries, including India, reveals that as monetary losses grow in scale, fraud is growing in sophistication and diversity. When the global business leaders were asked which fraud was the predominant cause of business loss in the past year, scam/authorised fraud (24%) was number one, followed by synthetic identity fraud (20%) and account takeover (20%).
Scams/Authorised Fraud Was the Top Reported Cause of Fraud Losses for Global Businesses, Followed Closely by Synthetic Identity Fraud and Account Takeover
| Fraud Type | Percentage of Total (Global) |
| Scam/Authorised fraud — dishonest scheme intended to trick a person into giving up something of value (e.g., account access, money, information) | 24% |
| Synthetic identity fraud — use of a combination of personally identifiable information to fabricate a person or entity to commit a dishonest act for financial or personal gain | 20% |
| Account takeover — unauthorised individuals taking over someone’s online account (e.g., bank, social media, email) without their permission | 20% |
| Application fraud (first‑party) — identity misrepresentation or falsifying information for the purpose of financial gain | 16% |
| Application fraud (third‑party) — use of stolen identity to open an account | 16% |
| Other | 2% |
Source: TransUnion business survey
While account takeover trails scam/authorised fraud globally, its growth trajectory is concerning. According to data from TransUnion’s customers in its global intelligence network, digital account takeover volume worldwide grew 21% from H1 2024 to H1 2025, signalling a rapid escalation. Looking further back, the volume of account takeover fraud surged 141% from H1 2021 to H1 2025, underscoring its persistent rise over time. This trend reflects the increasing sophistication of fraudsters who exploit stolen credentials and bypass authentication systems.
"As account takeover fraud surges, businesses can no longer afford solely reactive defences,” said Yin. “The growing sophistication of fraudsters demands a proactive investment in layered security and identity intelligence. In today’s threat landscape, protecting customer accounts is not just a priority — it’s a business imperative."
“In India’s fast‑scaling digital economy, enterprises are increasingly prioritising fraud prevention as a core component of business performance,” said Natarajan Ramani, Head of TransUnion India Data Analytics Solutions (INDAS). “As fraud evolves, businesses are looking for intelligence‑driven solutions that strengthen identity assurance, increase operational resilience, and protect revenue at scale. By combining advanced analytics with real‑time intelligence from our global network, we help businesses detect emerging threats earlier, make faster, more informed decisions, and safeguard the integrity of their customer interactions. This report reinforces how essential it is for enterprises to invest proactively in capabilities that keep their ecosystems secure and future‑ready.”
TransUnion came to its conclusions about digital fraud and data breaches based on intelligence from its array of fraud prevention solutions which are available to business in India via TransUnion INDAS.
Specific country and regional data in the report includes India, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. Download the TransUnion H2 2025 Top Fraud Trends Report for more information and insights about the global fraud trends.
About TransUnion INDAS (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries and territories, including India, where we operate as TransUnion India Data Analytics Solutions (INDAS).
Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions in areas such as fraud, marketing, communications, and alternative data. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences, and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
For more information visit www.transunion.in
