All posts by Kathleen Peters

Every year, I look forward to sharing Experian’s Future of Fraud Forecast because it’s more than just a report —  it serves as a trusted guide for the industry and a way to cut through the noise to spotlight the trends that will matter most over the next year. Fraud isn’t just a business problem. It’s also a human problem that impacts real people. Every time we stop fraudsters, we protect people’s identities, their financial security, and their trust in the digital world. That’s the mission that drives me. As we head into 2026, the fraud landscape is evolving in ways we couldn’t have predicted 20 years ago. We’re entering an era where AI is making fraud more sophisticated, autonomous and scalable than it was even just 12 months ago. For example, agentic AI can help book a vacation with just a single prompt. Meanwhile, tried and true schemes that have been around for years are still happening and are being accelerated by AI. This isn’t science fiction, it’s happening now and requires modern fraud mitigation strategies to combat. If we fail to act, businesses and consumers will face risks that are harder to detect and easier to exploit, leaving millions vulnerable. This year, our forecast highlights five fraud threats including: Machine-to-machine mayhem: As organizations race to leverage agentic AI, the sheer volume of players entering the space will make fraud inevitable and impossible to ignore. Fraudsters will exploit agentic AI to commit new levels of digital fraud. With machine-to-machine interactions initiating transactions without clear ownership of liability, businesses will face growing uncertainty around agent ownership, intent and risk. Experian predicts fraud will reach a tipping point that will spark major conversations and decisions around liability, regulation and the role of agentic AI in shaping responsible digital commerce. Deepfakes outsmart HR: Employment fraud is set to escalate in the remote workforce as generative AI (GenAI) tools generate hyper-tailored resumes and deepfake candidates capable of passing interviews in real time. Experian forecasts that employers will unknowingly onboard individuals on a much larger scale who aren’t who they say they are, giving bad actors access to sensitive systems. This emerging threat is expected to reshape how organizations verify identity and intent in the hiring process. Smarter homes, scarier threats: Smart homes are introducing new entry points for fraud. Devices like virtual assistants, smart locks, security systems, smart appliances and the coming use of humanoid robots will be exploited by bad actors to access personal data, monitor household activity and even take control of physical access points. Experian predicts that as the adoption of smart home devices continues to grow, so will the risk, with new forms of ransomware and opportunities for account hijacking, turning convenience into vulnerability for consumers. Website cloning will overwhelm fraud teams: Cloned websites, where fraudsters replicate legitimate sites to phish consumers, are becoming easier to create through AI tools and harder to eliminate. Notably, even after takedown requests, spoofed domains continue to resurface. As companies are forced to play whack-a-mole to address these threats, they risk being distracted from broader fraud strategies, allowing other threats to escalate. Experian forecasts that cloned sites will continue to cause significant losses for online retailers and businesses by tricking consumers into sharing their credentials, fueling credit card fraud, accelerating identity theft and synthetic identities, and facilitating other forms of financial fraud. Bots will break hearts and bank accounts: Emotionally intelligent bots powered by GenAI will accelerate the scale of their complex scams, like romance fraud and relative-in-need scams, without a human behind the keyboard. These bots will respond convincingly, build trust over time, and manipulate victims with precision and emotion. As they become harder to distinguish from real people and good bots, Experian predicts fraud will scale faster and become more financially and psychologically damaging. Fraud is becoming more adaptive, autonomous, and intelligent. But the good news is we can fight back. At Experian, we’re committed to helping businesses outpace these threats by combining differentiated data, advanced analytics, and AI-powered technology. Together, we can protect consumers without sacrificing experience and make a real difference in people’s lives. Learn more about Experian’s fraud prevention solutions here.

This week marks the start of International Fraud Awareness Week, a global initiative dedicated to raising awareness about fraud prevention and empowering businesses and individuals to take proactive steps against financial crime. At Experian, we’re dedicated to helping organizations and consumers stay ahead of fraudsters and anticipate future threats. That’s why I’m excited to announce the launch of a new Experian DataTalk podcast series: Fraud Frontlines. This series will feature conversations between myself and industry experts and innovators on the latest fraud trends and strategies to mitigate risk. Introducing DataTalk’s Fraud Frontlines Series: Insights from Episode One In our inaugural Fraud Frontlines episode, I sat down with Nash Ali, Experian’s VP of Fraud Strategy, to discuss how fintech innovation has reshaped the fraud landscape and what that means for the future. As financial technology continues to revolutionize how people transact online, it’s also changing how fraudsters operate. The rise of GenAI and automated scams has introduced a new level of sophistication that demands equally advanced defenses. Key Themes & Insights: AI vs. AI: The New Battleground: Fraudsters are weaponizing GenAI to create sophisticated scams. What’s the way forward? Deploying AI-powered defenses that detect anomalies, identify malicious bots, and uncover coordinated fraud rings in real time. Smart Friction, Not Roadblocks: Consumers demand security without sacrificing convenience. Leading fintechs are embracing risk-based orchestration, applying adaptive controls tailored to user behavior instead of rigid authentication. Behavioral Biometrics to Combat Bots: Experian’s behavioral analytics powered by NeuroID enable the detection of bots and are evolving to recognize and distinguish between good agents and fraudulent agents. This capability analyzes multiple new digital and behavioral signals without adding friction to the user experience. The Rise of Agentic AI: Transactions are beginning to involve autonomous agents acting on behalf of humans. Businesses must prepare to authenticate these agents, validate the human and the intent behind them and distinguish automation from bad actors. Fintechs have enabled great new digital experiences, rapid response rates and a focus on user convenience. This digital transformation has also led to new attack surfaces for fraudsters. Traditional industry players and fintechs alike are joining forces to fight these new types of fraud. The challenges are complex, but the opportunities to innovate have never been greater. These are exciting times for those shaping a safer digital economy. I invite you to listen or watch the episode and stay tuned for new episodes and ongoing insights into fraud trends and prevention strategies. Listen to the episode Watch on YouTube Learn more about Experian’s fraud prevention solutions

Agentic AI is no longer a future concept. It is here today, transforming how businesses operate. At Fortune Brainstorm Tech in Park City, I joined leaders from Salesforce, Okta, and Zillow to discuss this market shift. The takeaway was clear: agentic AI is not a trend. It is a catalyst for lasting change. At Experian, we see it as a force to unlock opportunity, spark innovation, and most important, build trust. People First Our leadership in AI starts with our people. Experian was recently named one of Fortune’s Top 10 Best Workplaces in Technology. That recognition reflects a culture built on curiosity, fostering innovation, inclusion, and collaboration. It is this culture that drives us to create technology with real impact, to help solve our customers’ needs. In our innovation labs, I see this spirit every day. AI agents open new opportunities, but they also bring challenges around identity, privacy, and fraud. That is why Experian’s role is to serve as the trusted backbone of this new era, ensuring AI remains explainable, transparent, non-biased, and secure. Responsible innovation is not optional. It is our standard. Experian Assistant: A First Step Toward the Future Experian has more than a decade of experience working with AI, applying advanced analytics and machine learning across industries to help businesses and consumers make smarter decisions. That expertise has prepared us to take the next step forward. A powerful example is our Experian Assistant, the first conversational, AI-driven virtual assistant in our industry to deliver continuous analytics and decisioning support. Integrated into our Ascend platform, it helps teams move faster, improve compliance, accelerate time-to-market, and make smarter decisions. This is only the beginning. Experian Assistant lays the foundation for what comes next: a future where AI agents do not simply operate individually but connect, collaborate, and fulfill, all compliantly. These networks of AI agents can amplify human intelligence while safeguarding trust. Building Confidence amid Change At Experian, we are shaping the future of AI responsibly and with purpose. By combining a spirit of innovating with a people-first culture, we deliver solutions that are secure, transparent, and transformative. With innovations like Experian Assistant leading the way, we will help our customers embrace change today while preparing for the trusted agentic-AI networks of tomorrow.

As we mark the 10th anniversary of Experian’s U.S. Identity & Fraud Report, the fraud landscape is more complex and fast moving than ever. As fraud accelerates, businesses must not only defend against today’s threats but also prepare for what’s next. We’re committed to helping businesses stay ahead of these challenges. Our latest report offers a comprehensive look at how businesses and consumers are navigating this shifting landscape. Key findings include: Companies are using AI to combat fraud: over a third of companies say they are using AI, including generative AI, to fight fraud. And 72% of business leaders expect AI-generated fraud and deepfakes to be major challenges in 2026. Consumers are skeptical of AI: less than 1 in 4 report interacting with AI-driven tools like chatbots, and just 18% completely trust these tools. Fraud losses are rising: nearly 60% of companies reported an increase in their fraud losses year-over-year, with identity theft, transactional payment fraud, account takeover, peer-to-peer payment scams and first-party fraud identified as the top events experienced last year.    Digital anxiety persists: 57% of consumers are still concerned about doing things online, and their top fears include identity theft, stolen credit card information, online privacy, fake/phishing emails, messages or phone scams, and false information. There’s still a trust gap: while 85% of businesses believe their fraud controls align with consumer expectations, less than half of people are highly trusting of companies to address their concerns online. These findings underscore the need for businesses to reassess their fraud prevention strategies to close gaps, adapt to emerging threats, and align with consumer expectations. As a global leader in identity verification and fraud prevention, we harness the power of data, advanced analytics, and innovative technology to help our clients reduce risk, protect their customers and foster trust.  👉 Explore Experian’s fraud prevention solutions here. 👉 Read the full 2025 Identity & Fraud Report here.

Almost three years ago, generative AI made its mainstream debut, and its rapid evolution since then has been nothing short of extraordinary. The pace of innovation has propelled generative AI far beyond its initial capabilities, transforming industries and redefining possibilities. At Experian, we've been harnessing the power of AI and machine learning for over a decade. As early adopters of generative AI, we have witnessed firsthand not only how it has evolved but also the transformative impact it can have on an organization. I recently had the privilege of delivering a keynote at Octane’s Women Leaders of Octane Forum during OC Innovation Week. During my talk, I shared key lessons from being on the frontlines of innovation fueled by generative AI. My three takeaways include: Staying Ahead in GenAI Adoption: As we all know, generative AI is advancing rapidly. Organizations that delay adoption risk falling behind their competitors and stifling creativity and opportunity. It's essential to stay informed about the latest advancements and be proactive in integrating AI into your operations in an ethical and compliant way. Navigating Challenges in GenAI Implementation: From navigating evolving regulations and addressing employee concerns about using AI tools to ensuring responsible usage and addressing AI-powered fraud, there are numerous challenges to tackle when adopting AI in the workplace. It's vital to understand these issues and develop strategies to counter them effectively. How GenAI Enhances Workplace Creativity: As generative AI becomes more integrated into employees’ everyday work lives, there is a concern that it might make some roles redundant. However, generative AI actually frees up more time for employees, allowing them to focus on creative and strategic tasks. This can empower them to achieve new levels of innovation and excellence in their work. We can see the significant impact generative AI has had at Experian by the innovative products and solutions we've developed over the years. Take, for example, Experian Assistant, a generative AI-driven solution designed to dramatically accelerate data modeling lifecycles, reducing model development time from months to days, and sometimes mere hours. This advancement enables faster, more efficient data analytics and insights. Additionally, our Innovation Lab, which recently celebrated 15 years of driving technological transformation, continues to leverage data and AI-driven solutions to push the boundaries of what's possible. As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of generative AI, it's clear that the journey is just beginning. At Experian, we remain committed to championing a culture of collaboration and fostering innovation in order to pioneer new AI-powered solutions that create opportunities that drive transformative change.

As we kick off a new calendar year, there’s already a lot of buzz in terms of expected advances in tech, especially for artificial intelligence. And what about fraud? Fraud isn’t just keeping pace with technology—it’s racing ahead. As the digital world expands, so too do the cunning schemes of fraudsters, who are more innovative and relentless than ever before. With businesses and consumers increasingly at risk, staying a step ahead requires insight into what’s next. Today, we released our annual Future of Fraud Forecast to highlight five threats that could bring challenges this year for businesses and consumers. They include: Crypto highs and lows: Recent events have led to cryptocurrency like Bitcoin increasing dramatically in value. Experian forecasts that criminals will be more motivated to target consumers and crypto providers, leveraging tried-and-true schemes like investment and romance scams, as well as fake websites offering cryptocurrency in an attempt to swindle money from unsuspecting people hoping to ride the wave. Companies will need to leverage robust fraud prevention measures and provide educational resources for consumers to safeguard themselves from these scams. Pig butchering scams get meaty: A fraudster’s endgame is to make off with as much money as possible, and pig butchering scams are a prime way of doing so. Criminals will “fatten up” their victims by enticing them over time to participate in an investment scheme and then disappear with the money, leaving their victims with significant financial losses. This requires the fraudster to build a relationship with the victim and establish trust so they can convince them to hand over their bacon. While this type of scam already exists, Experian forecasts that criminals will find ways to produce results faster and in more convincing ways that will dupe people more easily and allow them to elude detection for longer. Is it a social media challenge or a crime? Social media has fueled viral products and trends that are typically great recommendations or life hacks. However, last year, a form of check fraud went viral that involved people recording themselves writing bad checks, depositing them at the ATM and withdrawing cash before the check bounced. Some participants in this trend may not have been fully aware of the repercussions. In reality, consumers were committing check fraud by joining the bandwagon. Experian predicts that social media users could perpetuate additional trendy financial fraud schemes with the fraudsters being everyday people instead of savvy criminals. Unhealthy password spraying: With the amount of personally identifiable information that healthcare companies have on consumers, Experian forecasts fraudsters will deploy large-scale password spraying cyberattacks using GenAI-created bots to attack healthcare companies at scale to gain access to a company’s systems and the personally identifiable information of employees and patients. Password spraying, also known as credential stuffing or credential guessing, is when an attacker applies a list of commonly used passwords against a list of accounts to guess the right password. This used to be done by humans but, as technology has become more sophisticated, so have the fraudsters. These attacks can now be fueled by GenAI — making the attacks exponentially larger, faster and harder to detect. A new generation of bots up the ante: Bot attacks are a well-known tactic used to defraud people and companies by carrying out repetitive instructions to perform a variety of fraud schemes. A new generation of bots has emerged, known as Gen4 bots. Typically built using AI tools and trained to emulate human behavior, these bots are notoriously more difficult to detect and have the potential to bypass firewalls and security with ease. Experian predicts that as Gen4 bot attacks grow, leveraging behavioral analytics will become table stakes for companies to identify and mitigate this type of automated fraud. Being proactive is paramount in the fight against these and other future fraud threats. Businesses should work with a trusted partner to ensure that they leverage the right data, advanced analytics and technology to mitigate risk. Experian offers identity verification and fraud prevention solutions available on the Experian Ascend Platform™ to help companies anticipate, prepare for and fight fraud. Learn more about Experian’s fraud prevention offerings here. Related Posts

In an era where financial transactions occur at the click of a button, the significance of accurately verifying and authenticating consumers’ identities cannot be overstated. From online purchases to mobile banking, ensuring secure and reliable digital connections and safeguarding consumers’ information are table stakes for any business operating in the digital ecosystem. Unfortunately, some advocacy groups are calling for stricter regulatory guidelines that may impede business’ ability to effectively and efficiently protect a consumer’s financial information and identity. We’re, of course, referring to the push to classify credit header data— identifying information, such as name, current and former addresses, phone number and Social Security number, found at the top of credit reports—as a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Subjecting credit header information to the FCRA will unnecessarily limit its permitted use, and effectively make it more difficult—and potentially impossible—for banks and other businesses to use the information to authenticate and verify consumers’ identities. It’s an unintended consequence that will surely compromise the security of our digital identities.  Foundational to fraud prevention Credit header data plays a pivotal role in helping businesses detect suspicious activity and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. With credit header information, banks and other financial institutions cross-reference loan applications against transactions from hundreds of thousands of contributors to spot anomalies and thwart fraudsters before they inflict harm. In fact, many of the industry’s most advanced fraud prevention tools and signals rely on credit header data to verify the legitimacy of any given transaction. Keep in mind, the transactions we’re referring to are transactions of consequence. For instance, opening a new bank account, applying for a loan or transferring money. This level of activity carries inherent risk, and without proper vigilance, could result in significant financial or reputational harm to consumers and businesses. But it’s not only lenders that leverage credit header data, the use cases for credit header data are broad. Government agencies and businesses in the public sector, law enforcement, and some pharmacies use the information to issue one-time passcodes for identification purposes, find missing persons, or verify consumers’ identities prior to prescriptions being filled. Credit header data is already regulated Some of the concern surrounding credit header data centers on consumer privacy, and rightfully so. Protecting consumers’ privacy should be central to the use of sensitive information; however, credit header data is already regulated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. In fact, for more than 25 years, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act specifically provides that the permissible use of credit header data includes fraud prevention, while also mandating consumer privacy and data protection. Subjecting credit header data to additional FCRA regulation, which does not clearly allow for fraud prevention, could make it impractical or impossible for many businesses to use it for that purpose.  Not only is additional regulation unnecessary, but it potentially creates a contradictory web of regulations that increases the compliance burden and confusion for many businesses. This ultimately thwarts the purpose of GLBA by delaying fraud prevention efforts and potentially raising costs for consumers. Credit header data is far more than information included at the top of consumers’ credit reports, it is a linchpin that powers many of the most advanced fraud prevention and identify verification tools in the market. Before any further regulation is considered, we have to acknowledge the role that credit header data plays in keeping consumers’ information safe and how any changes may impact the safety and soundness of our digital economy.

Fraudsters are opportunistic. They are capitalizing on using new technology to create more sophisticated fraud schemes, underscoring the importance and urgency of prioritizing fraud prevention strategies. In fact, the FTC reported that consumers lost more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023, the first time losses have ever been so high.  As a leader in the fraud prevention and identity verification space, we’re dedicated to helping clients stay ahead of evolving fraud trends and challenges. To that end, today we released the findings of our 9th annual Experian Identity and Fraud Report, which provides an in-depth look at the current fraud landscape and the sentiments of both consumers and businesses. Some of the top findings include: Consumers’ top security concerns include: identity theft (84%) and stolen credit card information (80%), a 20% increase compared to 2023. Sixty-three percent of people say it is important for businesses to be able to recognize them online.  Eighty-one percent of consumers say they’re more trusting of businesses that can accomplish easy and accurate identification. People want more types of identity recognition techniques used to verify their identities with physical analytics (71%), PINs sent to a mobile device (70%) and behavioral analytics (66%) evoking the highest sense of security for consumers. Companies recognize the importance of focusing on Gen AI, with 70% saying they expect AI fraud to be the second greatest challenge for their business. Despite AI fraud concerns, businesses ranked detecting and preventing Gen AI fraud and deepfakes as the 12th most important investment area behind prevention for legacy fraud types. With these fraud concerns in mind, companies need to review their current fraud tools and strategies, and look for opportunities to add to or change current approaches, to not only mitigate risk but also keep their customers safe while providing a positive experience. Businesses should work with a trusted partner who can help them implement a multilayered approach to identity verification and fraud prevention and help them meet consumer expectations. Experian offers a full suite of automated tools that harness data and analytics to prevent fraud and mitigate losses. We’re dedicated to empowering clients with the insights they need to make informed, data-driven decisions that safeguard their customers and reduce risk.  Our recent acquisition of NeuroID, an industry leader in behavioral analytics, is a testament to this. To learn more about Experian’s fraud prevention solutions: please click here. To read Experian’s 2024 Identity and Fraud Report, please click here.

Innovation isn't just about creating the next big thing. It can solve problems, improve lives, and help businesses stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. So, what drives innovation? It starts with a culture of collaboration and entrepreneurship that inspires creativity. Our North America headquarters are in the center of Orange County, a community that fosters an environment where ideas flourish and partnerships thrive. For years, we’ve worked with Octane, a local non-profit organization focused on driving innovation and growth by connecting people, resources and capital to build a better future. Experian is committed to disrupting the status quo and supporting an environment where creativity can be unleashed. Armed with the power of data and the latest technologies, such as generative AI, we believe we can help better financial outcomes for the consumers and businesses we serve. I recently gave a keynote at Octane’s annual Tech Innovation Forum during OC Innovation Week, exploring how businesses can unleash creativity through the use of generative AI and highlighting five tenets companies can consider for the responsible use of generative AI, including: Engage with purpose: It’s important that companies identify their purpose in using the technology and how it can positively impact their business, employees and customers. They should start with creating a plan, including deciding who will be using AI, what jobs need to be done, what guidelines need to be set and a review process. Elevate creativity and drive automation: Businesses should harness AI to automate processes that are mundane or labor-intensive to enable employees to focus more of their time and energy on creativity. Excite, educate, and train employees: To ensure all employees understand the potential of generative AI, businesses should prioritize education and training for all employees from the start. This includes finding evangelists of the new technology within the company to stay up-to-date on the latest news and get teams excited about the possibilities. Ensure ethical, compliant and responsible use: In addition to employee trainings, it’s important to set up a group of leaders, such as a risk council, that can handle ongoing opportunities and risks and codify guidelines on the ethical usage of AI. Embrace change and be agile: With any new technology, companies need to be agile and ready to adapt to whatever changes may come. It’s important to foster a culture of learning to constantly evolve the generative AI landscape for the company and its clients. Innovation can fuel economic growth, drive progress, and shape the future. We’re dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration that creates opportunities for generations to come. Photo by © Octane/Michael Baker