- Cyber Safety
- Posts
- “Synthetic Identities: Fraud That Looks Legit”
“Synthetic Identities: Fraud That Looks Legit”
In partnership with
Master ChatGPT for Work Success
ChatGPT is revolutionizing how we work, but most people barely scratch the surface. Subscribe to Mindstream for free and unlock 5 essential resources including templates, workflows, and expert strategies for 2025. Whether you're writing emails, analyzing data, or streamlining tasks, this bundle shows you exactly how to save hours every week.
Fake Identities Blend Real and Fabricated Data
Attackers use real SSNs, addresses, and photos mixed with fake names or birthdates. The result passes basic KYC and credit checks. These personas act like real users — until they vanish.
Synthetic Accounts Build Trust Over Time
Fraudsters nurture fake identities with consistent behavior, small purchases, and low-risk interactions. Over months, they gain privileges and access. Then the fraud hits in a burst.
Fraud Detection Systems Miss “Clean” Patterns
Synthetic IDs don’t match stolen identity patterns. No prior fraud history or red flags exist. Behavior-based models fail when the behavior appears stable.
Learn AI in 5 minutes a day
What’s the secret to staying ahead of the curve in the world of AI? Information. Luckily, you can join 1,000,000+ early adopters reading The Rundown AI — the free newsletter that makes you smarter on AI with just a 5-minute read per day.
Internal Access Requests Come From Fake Employees
Sophisticated fraudsters apply to jobs, get hired remotely, and gain system access. Their documents check out, but the person doesn’t exist. Onboarding validates paperwork, not presence.
Synthetic Identities Are Used for Account Seeding
Fake customers create hundreds of cloud, banking, or SaaS accounts. These accounts are later sold or used in credential stuffing. Fraud happens in stages — not instantly.
Once Detected, Cleanup Is Operationally Complex
Deleting synthetic identities affects billing, CRM data, legal logs, and metrics. Most orgs aren’t prepared to roll back fake user activity. Cleaning fraud isn’t just technical — it’s political.
Go from AI overwhelmed to AI savvy professional
AI will eliminate 300 million jobs in the next 5 years.
Yours doesn't have to be one of them.
Here's how to future-proof your career:
Join the Superhuman AI newsletter - read by 1M+ professionals
Learn AI skills in 3 mins a day
Become the AI expert on your team