SEON Research Results, Online Payment Fraud Increases 137 Percent in Last 7 Years

Online scams continue to increase from year to year. (photo: dock. Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Online payment fraud increased 137% over the last seven years. This was revealed in a study conducted by SEON, a UK-based fraud prevention service, last September.

SEON based its research on data from the Identity Threat Research Center and used it to identify data compromises stemming from online payments.

There's a lot of data to explore, but there are some interesting details. First, despite an overall decline in data compromise through online payments between 2018-2020, the number between 2020 and 2021 has skyrocketed. That year alone saw a 62% increase in fraudulent activity, higher than any other point in the seven years measured.

It should also be noted that while 2021 saw the highest number of compromises, the number of casualties was also the lowest. These years saw some of the highest-profile data breaches in modern history, and the company is now taking customer data privacy seriously. This added security may be the reason why there is a lower overall impact on this breach.

The attack type is also evolving. While phishing scams are still the most common form of online payment fraud, ransomware attacks are on the rise. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of ransomware attacks alone will more than double.

The type of data stolen is also relevant. A lot of information is irrelevant to fraudsters, but they are looking for important data that can damage your credit and overall financial health.

Individuals' full names were the most frequently stolen data, followed by their full social security number and date of birth. Health care data breaches are also on the rise, meaning medical histories are also being stolen.

As reported by Digital Trends, SEON focuses on data prevention for small businesses, but there are a number of steps individuals can take to protect their data as well.

First, using a password manager and creating complex passwords greatly reduces the chances of someone accessing your account. Then managing the data the company collects from you can help reduce risk.