Ecommerce fraud pressure rises 33% as AI fuels attacks

Signifyd has released its 2026 State of Fraud Report on eCommerce fraud trends, showing that fraud pressure rose 33% year on year in the first four months of 2026.

The findings are based on transactions across Signifyd's Commerce Network, covering thousands of online merchants and 950 million unique digital wallets. The report argues that eCommerce fraud has moved beyond stolen credit cards and now spans multiple stages of the customer journey.

According to the data, account takeover attacks increased 78% year on year, while card-testing attacks rose 175%. Buy online, pick up in store fraud increased 65%, and first-party fraud and consumer abuse climbed 9%.

Signifyd attributed the shift to the wider use of artificial intelligence tools by fraudsters, which allow larger, faster attacks at lower cost. It also cited organised criminal activity and rising consumer abuse as factors reshaping how online merchants assess risk.

Raj Ramanand, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Signifyd, said retailers and financial institutions can no longer treat fraud as a problem limited to the checkout page.

"For years, retailers and financial institutions have viewed fraud as a checkout problem. That assumption no longer holds," said Raj Ramanand, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Signifyd.

He added that the spread of AI across online commerce is changing both legitimate activity and criminal tactics.

"Ecommerce is entering a new operating environment where AI is accelerating both innovation and fraud. Responding to this shift requires rethinking how trust and identity are established across every customer interaction. In this new autonomous commerce era, protecting revenue and preserving the customer experience have become the same business challenge," Ramanand said.

Changing tactics

The report describes a broader shift in the economics of eCommerce fraud, with AI tools lowering the complexity of attacks and helping fraudsters operate at greater speed and scale.

Examples cited in the study include stolen identities, copycat websites used to collect personal data, and fraud schemes linked to iPhones and money laundering. The report suggests these attacks are no longer isolated incidents but part of a more connected pattern of fraud across online retail.

That shift is increasing pressure on merchants to detect suspicious behaviour before a fraudulent order is placed. It also means retailers must consider risk in account activity, order fulfilment and returns, rather than focusing only on payment authorisation.

Nicole Jass, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Strategy at Signifyd, said attacks are evolving as fraudsters combine methods.

"What's changing isn't simply the volume of fraud, but the way it operates. Attackers are combining multiple tactics to maximize their success," said Nicole Jass, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Strategy at Signifyd.

She said retailers now face a more difficult environment because organised fraud and consumer abuse are becoming harder to separate.

"At the same time, we are at a unique moment when the line between organized fraud and consumer abuse continues to blur, creating a much more complex environment for retailers than we've seen in the past. Understanding the who or what behind these threats and connecting the patterns across merchants will better fight the problem," Jass said.

Wider impact

The report says the operational effects of fraud now extend well beyond chargebacks and false payments. Account takeover can compromise trusted customer profiles, while false return claims and misuse of fulfilment options can affect stock management, store operations and customer service.

For retailers, that raises the risk of adding too much friction to the shopping process while trying to block fraud. Businesses need to balance fraud controls with the need to avoid disrupting legitimate shoppers.

The report also argues that digital identity has become a more important target for criminals. In response, merchants are being pushed to review authentication systems and decide how to verify customers without creating unnecessary barriers to purchase.

Another issue highlighted is the rise of AI-assisted shopping and what Signifyd describes as an autonomous commerce environment. Retailers will need to establish trust not only in traditional customer interactions but also in transactions shaped by software agents and automated tools.

The findings present fraud as a broader business issue affecting operations, customer experience and profitability. Addressing it will require closer coordination across teams responsible for payments, eCommerce, fulfilment and customer support.