Consumer Fraud Cases Spiked 22.5% During Pandemic: Accenture

Reported cases of consumer fraud spiked in 2020 and 2021 compared with the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, “presenting a growing challenge for public safety agencies to find new strategies to counter the trend,” reported Accenture Monday. Accenture compiled consumer fraud data from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S., finding reported cases increased 6.8% annually between 2013 and 2019, it said. Cases then spiked 22.5% annually during 2020 and 2021, “in parallel with the large shift of workers and consumers to digital channels and greater use of technology during the pandemic,” it said. “Our analysis revealed the cost of consumer fraud during the pandemic exceeded the level seen over six years prior to 2020.”