Digital fraud attempt rate in US gaming up 261.9%

TransUnion says that gaming is the most susceptible industry to fraud attempts.

08/11/21

Cybercriminals are focusing on gaming, according to a report from the credit reporting company TransUnion.

US.- TransUnion has reported that gaming is the most susceptible industry to fraud attempts. The US digital fraud attempt rate in gaming increased by 261.9 per cent from the second quarter of 2020 to the second quarter of 2021. Sports betting fraud attempts jumped by 114 per cent.

The travel and leisure industry was second with a 136.6 per cent increase.

Melissa Gaddis, senior director of customer success, global fraud solutions at TransUnion, said: “What we are seeing has been fairly consistent since the pandemic started. People perpetuating fraud go to where the money is and go to where the opportunity lies.”

She added: “As we legalize it more in the US, businesses just need to be aware of the solutions to ensure their gamers are protected.”

Shai Cohen, TransUnion Global Fraud Solutions senior vice president said: “This quarter, as countries began to open up more from their COVID-19 lockdowns and travel and other leisure activities became more mainstream, fraudsters clearly made this industry a top target.

“The immense growth in gaming fraud also can be attributed to the shifts in focus of fraudsters as this growing market becomes a larger target.”