Will 2025 be a year with less e-commerce fraud?

Whenever we talk about online shopping, there is no way to avoid mentioning something that is the terror of both consumers and retailers: frauds.And it is not for less, since data from the report “The State of Fraud and Abuse 2024” show that there is a projection that the losses arising from these virtual scams will exceed US$343 billion by 2027. However, in the same way that evildoers are increasingly creative when it comes to developing criminal initiatives, companies have also taken excellent steps to ensure a safe environment for their consumers. In this way, can we say that 2025 will be a reduction in e-commerce?

A study by BigDataCorp showed that the digital security index of Brazilian e-commerce reached more than 95% in early 2024 thanks to the increased use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which uses encryption to protect Internet users' data. In addition, the consumer himself is more alert and has been able to identify more easily when a transaction is fraudulent. According to a survey by Opinion Box, 91% of users have already given up an online purchase precisely because they are suspicious of scams.

Another point that counts in favor of combating fraud is Artificial Intelligence. Through its combined use with data analysis and machine learning, for example, many retailers can set standards for a normal transaction and act in advance when they see a suspicious purchase. The technology can be based on several topics such as recurrence, place of purchase, most used means of payment, customer profile, etc.

In addition, AI is able to profile suspicious users, blocking their access to the e-commerce platform and preventing future scams. In this case, the technology, also related to machine learning, is based on various information such as online behavior and profile analysis, monitoring email address, IP and phone. With this data, the retailer is able to trace the intentions of that individual, checking the possibility of identity theft, account hacking and even the history of default.

Because of this range of possibilities, a survey by the Association of Certified Fraud Investigators (ACFE) and SAS shows that 46% of anti-fraud professionals in Latin America already use AI and machine learning in their daily work.In addition, a study by EY indicates that the technology has approximately 90% of accuracy in detecting spam, malware and network invasions. 

While there are still no complete data on the amount of fraud in e-commerce during the year 2024, since we are still at the beginning of 2025, 2023 saw a significant drop of 29% in the coup attempts on these platforms, according to data from the Fraud X-ray 2024 survey. This ignites hope, showing that technology has been an ally and contributes to a more optimistic horizon for the sector.

Thus, we can say that the fight against fraud in the online environment is increasingly effective, with technologies that inhibit the action of criminals. Although it seems quite challenging, the scenario for 2025 is positive, with greater confidence and security on the part of retailers. Although it is difficult to attest whether fraud will actually decrease this year, we are convinced that players are updating themselves so that online scams are an increasingly rare reality, giving way to an excellent customer experience on platforms.