Fraud Climbs 21 Percent Year-Over-Year In Online Communities, Veriff Report Finds
Amid rise in impersonation schemes, identity verification is more crucial than ever.
New York, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report from Veriff, released today, finds that fraud rates have climbed 21% year-over-year across social media, online dating, gaming, and reviews platforms. The report, titled “The Future of Online Communities,” draws from a range of existing Veriff research, including the Veriff Identity Fraud Report, the Fraud Industry Pulse Survey, and the 2024 Fraud Index.
A staggering 90 percent of scams in online communities involve impersonation fraud, or a scammer pretending to be someone they’re not. The risks of impersonation fraud for consumers go far beyond meeting a fake friend: romance scams, for example, leave consumers vulnerable to significant financial loss. Sadly, about 1 in 3 U.S. consumers lost money to fraud last year.
“Online communities offer the promise of authentic connection, whether it’s a romantic partner on a dating app, a friend on social media, or teammates on a video gaming platform. Unfortunately, that trust is eroding as impostors expose users to financial and emotional harm,” said Ira Bondar-Mucci, Senior Fraud Group Manager at Veriff. “Prioritizing security is paramount: online communities that fail to protect their users from online fraud risk losing them.”
Recent legislation is adding urgency to the issue. With more than a dozen U.S. states preparing to enact social media age verification laws, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X face increasing pressure to distinguish between legitimate adult users and underage impersonators. If these platforms fail to get a handle on impersonation fraud, they risk legal consequences, fines, and reputational damage.
The report also revealed that the online video gaming sector saw a significant rise in physical adversary-in-the-middle attacks in 2024. With enticing sign-up and other bonuses offered, multi-accounting, identity farming, and account takeover have become increasingly prevalent, allowing scammers to cash in on rewards or gain unfair advantages at the expense of platforms and legitimate players.
With these risks in mind, identity verification (IDV) has emerged as a crucial solution. In fact, Veriff’s report found that 81 percent of respondents plan to boost their dependence on IDV and biometrics in the coming year.
“As fraud continues to rise, online communities are navigating a slew of complex challenges – from age checks to compliance with new legislation and complex regulatory demands. IDV technology presents an opportunity to help these platforms balance user safety with seamless access,” Bondar-Mucci continued.
To find the full “Future of Online Communities” report, visit here.
Veriff press@veriff.com
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