In the face of an escalating wave of AI-driven fraud, the financial sector is embroiled in a crucial battle to safeguard its customers and assets. Recent findings from the 2024 report “Battle Against AI-Driven Identity Fraud” by Signicat underscore the alarming reality that 42.5% of all detected fraud attempts in the financial and payments sector are now facilitated by artificial intelligence. More concerning is the fact that 29% of these attempts are successful, marking a critical juncture for cybersecurity strategies within the industry.
The report highlights the sophisticated nature of AI-enhanced fraud tactics, such as deepfakes, synthetic identities, and advanced phishing campaigns, which allow fraudsters to operate with unprecedented scale and precision.
Key trends identified include:
- Nearly half of all detected fraud involves AI, indicating the growing prevalence and sophistication of these attacks.
- An 80% surge in overall fraud attempts over the past three years, propelled in part by fraudsters adopting AI technologies.
- Alarmingly, only 22% of financial firms have implemented AI defences, revealing a significant vulnerability in the sector.
As traditional defences falter against AI-powered threats, financial institutions are urged to adopt AI-based detection systems, strengthen cybersecurity frameworks, and collaborate across the industry to counteract evolving fraud techniques. Despite the rising concern among executives about bot attacks and AI-driven fraud, as highlighted by the 2024 State of Bot Mitigation report, many institutions report a lack of expertise, resources, and budget to effectively combat this threat.
Pinar Alpay, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at Signicat, states, “Companies are putting defence mechanisms in place against AI-driven identity fraud, but the threat is growing. The digitalisation acceleration has made attacks more sophisticated and scalable. A multi-layered approach, combining electronic identities with risk analysis, is urgent to balance user convenience and security.”
The report calls for a proactive, multi-layered cybersecurity approach that integrates AI with traditional security measures, while also educating employees and customers about the new threats posed by AI in the continuously evolving cybercrime landscape.
