The growing digitalization of consumption has revealed a concerning paradox: while the volume of online purchases increases, consumers' sense of security decreases. According to the 2024 Digital Identity and Fraud Report by Serasa Experian, the first and largest data tech company in Brazil, 48% of respondents have already abandoned a purchase due to lack of trust in the website or app. Even so, the activity recorded an average growth of 1.6 percentage points in 2024 compared to 2023. Almost half (48%) reported making between 1 and 3 digital purchases every month. Meanwhile, the belief that companies are taking effective measures to protect has dropped from 51% to 43%.
This scenario indicates that, despite the convenience of digitalization, consumers still do not feel fully protected. "The increasing digitalization has brought numerous benefits, both for companies and consumers, but it has also exposed vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. With these insights, there is an opportunity for companies to invest in robust authentication and fraud prevention solutions to ensure consumer trust in the online environment," comments Caio Rocha, Director of Authentication and Fraud Prevention Products at Serasa Experian.
What do consumers fear most when buying online?
The most cited fears by respondents when making an online purchase were "buying from a fake website" (41%), "someone buying something using my data" (41%), and "my data leaking" (37%), situations that continue to impact users' digital experience.
Physical biometrics as a reliable authentication solution
About 69% of consumers consider it essential for companies to be able to identify them accurately in the online environment. This factor becomes even more crucial in light of the increase in fraud attempts, which, according to the Serasa Experian Fraud Attempt Indicator for November 2024, exceeded one million incidents in the month, equivalent to an occurrence every 2.5 seconds. In this scenario, companies need to strengthen their protection solutions without compromising the user experience.
The research reveals that authentication methods are becoming even more essential for security, such as physical biometrics, which includes facial recognition, fingerprinting, and voice recognition: 7 out of 10 consumers (71.8%) say they feel secure when using the technology, and its use has increased significantly in the past year, rising from 59% to 67%. Behavioral biometrics – which analyzes patterns such as pressure on the screen, typing style, and voice variations – is still little known by users.
With the advancement of authentication technologies, Rocha points out that investing in digital security has ceased to be a differentiator and has become an imperative necessity for companies seeking to ensure customer trust and mitigate fraud risks. "Physical biometrics is a reliable solution because it is tangible and difficult to replicate, but given the dynamic landscape of fraud in Brazil, effective prevention requires a layered strategy. Knowing the consumer beyond their identity allows for the identification of behavioral patterns, reduction of friction, and strengthening of security. At Serasa Experian, intelligence linked to technology is a differentiator, combining facial biometrics, device analysis, document verification, and analytical intelligence to detect fraud and protect transactions. Thus, companies ensure security without compromising the user experience, balancing prevention and convenience."
