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Santo Domingo. – In the first six months of 2025, 8.6% of digital transactions made in the Dominican Republic showed signs of attempted fraud, a reduction of 17% compared to the same period of the previous year. Even so, this proportion remains well above the 2.8% observed in Latin American countries included in the analysis. At the same time, cases linked to fraud through impersonation or misuse of identity continue to rise, fueled by the volume of exposed personal data and the advancement of cybercriminals' tactics.
In the country, 14.2% of digital account creation attempts during the first half of the year were considered potentially fraudulent. Likewise, 5.3% of logins and 12.6% of the financial transactions analyzed showed signs of risk. All these figures exceed the global averages of 8.3%, 4.3% and 2.7%, respectively.
"These trends reflect the growing need to strengthen identity verification and fraud prevention strategies from the first digital point of contact," said Diana Martínez, Director of Fraud Solutions at TransUnion Latin America. "Consumers continue to be targets and victims of multiple schemes, especially smishing and vishing, according to the Latin Americans surveyed. Therefore, initiatives must focus on protecting personal data and access credentials."
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The H2 2025 Update of TransUnion's Major Fraud Trends Report indicates that 32% of Dominicans reported having been targeted by fraud via email, online platforms, calls, or messages during the months of February to May 2025. Among those who were approached, the most common schemes were gift card or money scams and frauds by supposed external sellers on legitimate pages. Globally, the video game sector tops the list with the highest percentage of suspected digital fraud attempts in the first half of 2025, reaching 13.5%, a 28% jump compared to 2024. In the case of the Dominican Republic, the financial services sector was the most affected, with 18.2% of the evaluated transactions marked as suspicious. In several Latin American nations included in the study, the government sector recorded the largest growth in suspected digital fraud, with an average increase of 80% compared to the same period last year. This trend is attributed to fraudsters continuously seeking to breach sectors that manage sensitive personal data. "Since scams directly compromise the integrity of consumer identity, organizations must rely on a combination of data, risk signals, and specialized technologies to prevent fraud," Martinez highlighted. "Globally, the tools most valued by business leaders include identity verification, device reputation, and behavioral biometrics." Martínez added that financial institutions and companies should reinforce education and awareness to reduce risks such as account takeover. "Fraud prevention must be addressed with a multifaceted approach if companies and consumers want to stay ahead of fraudsters, whose tactics continue to evolve." About the analysis The findings are based on intelligence gathered by TransUnion's TruValidate suite, which integrates identity and fraud solutions designed to deliver security and trust across all channels, while facilitating an efficient user experience. The suspected digital fraud attempt rate reflects those cases that TransUnion clients identified as: 1) denied in real-time by fraud indicators, 2) denied due to corporate policy violations, 3) confirmed as fraud after investigation, or 4) classified as a corporate policy violation after review. Country analyses are based on transactions where the consumer or the alleged fraudster was physically located in the selected region. About TransUnion Dominican Republic TransUnion is a global information company with a presence in more than 30 countries and a workforce of over 13,000 associates, including operations in the Dominican Republic. The company works to ensure that every consumer is reliably represented in the market, offering a multidimensional vision managed with rigor and responsibility. Thanks to its investments in technology and analytics, TransUnion has developed advanced solutions in areas such as marketing, fraud, risk, and data analysis. Its purpose, called Information for Good®, drives economic opportunities, better experiences, and greater empowerment for millions of people around the world.
