2025 saw steady digital transaction growth in LexisNexis® Digital Identity Network® globally. But fraud attacks grew faster, especially in the ecommerce and gaming and gambling sectors, pushing the global attack rate up 8% after a period of relative stability in 2024. While perhaps not yet the fraud storm that some have predicted would be driven by an AI-fueled increase in scam sophistication and automation, there are indeed signs of shifting patterns, with a much noisier identity abuse index than has been seen in recent years. Fraud is continuing to evolve around the world, regulations are being updated and fraud detection capabilities are being enhanced.
Attack growth was predominantly through browser channels, resulting in a significant shift in the balance nof attacks between browser and mobile app. The volume of mobile app attacks halved in 2025, with reductions across all regions except for EMEA, while browser attacks increased dramatically. We have seen attack risk via the mobile app steadily increase the last few years, and the decline seen in 2025 may reflect that organizations are focusing on firming up their fraud detection for mobile app attacks after historically considering it a safe channel.
