Signicat: strong majority of decision-makers across 9 countries have seen a rise in successful identity fraud attempts

Signicat analysed identity fraud insights from 900 decision-makers from 9 European countries.

Key findings at a glance:

. 19 % (1 in 5) of transactions and customer onboardings are fraudulent.

. 22% of annual revenue is impacted by identity fraud and the costs of trying to prevent it.

. 59% of businesses have seen a rise in successful identity fraud attempts in the past year.

. 74% of businesses believe they’re winning the fight against fraud—despite the numbers.

. Only 45% are measuring the impact of identity fraud.

. Many businesses are unsure about who’s responsible when fraud succeeds.

Denmark: Rising losses despite strong eID
In Denmark, digital trust is strong, but fraud is catching up fast. Even in a high-trust society, 57% of Danish firms are facing a surge in identity fraud, catching many unprepared.

Get Denmark’s identity fraud insights

Finland: Fastest-growing fraud landscape

In Finland, digital maturity is high, but it is one of the countries where fraud is rising the fastest. 54% of Finnish companies are now seeing more fraud attempts, proving no market is immune to these evolving digital threats.

Get Finland’s identity fraud insights

France: Low losses, hidden risks

In France, digital identity is strong at the front door, but fraud is slipping further into the customer journey. As digital usage grows, 61% of French businesses are now battling a rise in AI-driven document forgery and synthetic identity fraud.

Get France’s identity fraud insights

Germany: Regulation meets rising risk

In Germany, strict regulation has not stopped fraud from evolving. It has only changed where it strikes. While 62% of businesses report a rise in identity fraud, 42% pinpoint sophisticated document forgery as a primary threat.

Get Germany’s identity fraud insights

Netherlands: High confidence, low visibility

In the Netherlands, digital reliance is high, but fraud is rising in plain sight. As a hyper-digital market, 68% of Dutch companies are seeing more fraud, with attacks focusing on exploiting fast payment systems.

Get Netherland’s identity fraud insights

Norway: Fewer but smarter attacks

In Norway, high trust comes with high fraud stakes. With 63% of Norwegian businesses reporting more fraud, the primary threat has shifted to exploiting digital wallets and new payment apps.

Get Norway’s identity fraud insights

Spain: Fragmented systems, elevated risk

In Spain, digital growth and fraud rise in tandem, revealing a complex tension. 71% of Spanish companies are seeing more identity fraud, one of the highest rates in Europe. Are your defences prepared?

Get Spain’s identity fraud insights

Sweden: Trust tested beyond onboarding

In Sweden, digital trust is strong, but control is shifting beyond onboarding. Fraudsters are now targeting the human element, with 61% of Swedish firms seeing more social engineering attacks.

Get Sweden’s identity fraud insights

UK: Heavy losses, tech exposed

In the UK, identity fraud is surging, costing businesses 22% of revenue as attackers exploit onboarding gaps. With 64% of UK firms reporting more identity fraud, the market is a top target for sophisticated account takeover attacks.

Get UK’s identity fraud insights

“Digital identity fraud, account takeover and synthetic ID fraud aren’t abstract threats. They’re happening now, and they’re targeting businesses that believed they had strong controls in place.”- says – Lisa Forte, Partner @ Red Goat Cyber Security.

Businesses express strong confidence – but the reality tells a harsher story. Get the report, created with cybersecurity expert Lisa Forte, to learn about the gaps in identity fraud defenses.

More details: The Battle in the Dark 2025 Report