AI has transformed how businesses operate. It’s made processes faster and customer experiences smoother. But the same technology that’s driving innovation is also creating new risks that most fraud teams weren’t built to handle.
Deepfakes and synthetic identities are no longer theoretical threats. They’re happening now, and they’re getting more sophisticated. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report (released April 2025), fraud losses hit a record $16.6 billion, with cyber-enabled fraud accounting for 83 percent of total reported losses.1 If your fraud prevention strategy still relies on traditional methods, your business is at high risk.
Deepfakes and Synthetic Identity Fraud
Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, images, or audio that look and sound convincingly real. Synthetic identity fraud happens when criminals combine real and fake information to create entirely new identities that pass basic verification checks.
These aren’t just emerging threats—they’re accelerating rapidly. Data shows that deep fake fraud in the United States alone has surged by 1,100 percent while synthetic identity document fraud rose by 300 percent.2
Here are some examples of the damage these issues can cause for your business.
Account takeovers through voice cloning
Fraudsters can clone a customer’s voice using just a few seconds of audio and then call customer service to reset passwords or authorize transfers.
Fake identity documents
AI can generate drivers’ licenses, passports, and utility bills that look completely legitimate, making it nearly impossible for human reviewers to spot fakes.
Video verification bypass
Deepfake technology can now defeat live video verification systems by creating real-time videos of someone else’s face mapped onto the fraudster.
Executive impersonation
Criminals use deepfake audio or video to impersonate company executives and authorize fraudulent wire transfers or sensitive data releases.
Read more: From Efficiency to Trust: Why AI Accountability Matters
How to Structure Modern Fraud Prevention Teams
Now that the fraud landscape has fundamentally changed, you can’t just add another layer of traditional security and hope it holds. You need teams with different skills and organizational structures that can spot and respond to AI-enabled threats as they happen. That means rethinking who you hire and how those people work together.
Recruit Necessary Skills
The right professionals can make the difference between catching fraud early and discovering it after significant damage. Traditional fraud analysts often lack the technical background to understand how AI-generated attacks work. You need people who can bridge the gap between fraud detection and emerging technology.
Your hiring priorities should focus on these capabilities:
- Behavioral Analytics: The ability to spot unusual patterns in how users interact with your systems, since deepfakes often can’t replicate natural human behavior perfectly.
- Biometric ID Verification: Expertise in fingerprint analysis, facial recognition systems, and liveness detection that can identify when someone is using a deepfake or synthetic identity.
- Machine Learning Literacy: Understanding of how AI models work so your team can recognize when fraudsters are using AI tools and can deploy AI-powered defenses.
- Digital Forensics: Skills to trace the origin of suspicious documents, videos, or audio files and determine if they’ve been manipulated.
- Data Pattern Recognition: The ability to analyze large datasets quickly and identify anomalies that might indicate synthetic identity schemes.
- Cross-Platform Investigation: Experience tracking fraud attempts across multiple channels and systems since synthetic identities often interact with businesses through various touchpoints.
- Real-Time Threat Response: The capacity to make quick decisions under pressure when suspicious activity is flagged, including knowing when to escalate and when to block transactions immediately.
Read more: Risk Management Hiring Tips
Build Cross-Functional Team Models
Having skilled individuals isn’t enough if they’re working in silos. AI-enabled fraud moves too fast for traditional organizational hierarchies. Consider these team structures that enable rapid information sharing and coordinated response:
1. Fraud-Compliance Fusion Teams
Bring fraud analysts and compliance officers together in a single unit. Historically these roles were separate, but deepfake threats require both fraud detection expertise and regulatory knowledge about identity verification requirements. This team should meet often to review flagged cases and update detection protocols as necessary.
2. Real-Time Intelligence Hubs
Create a centralized team that monitors threats as they emerge and communicates findings across the organization immediately. This hub should include fraud analysts, IT security specialists, and customer service representatives who can identify emerging fraud patterns from customer interactions and escalate suspicious cases immediately.
3. Red Team-Blue Team Exercises
Establish ongoing simulation teams where one group (red team) attempts to breach your defenses using the latest AI tools while another group (blue team) works to detect and stop them. This continuous testing reveals gaps before real fraudsters find them.
4. Customer Experience-Security Bridge
Form teams that include both customer service leaders and fraud prevention specialists. This group focuses on balancing security measures with customer experience so that strong fraud controls don’t create so much friction that legitimate customers abandon transactions.
5. Vendor Risk Assessment Squads
Build teams that evaluate third-party verification tools and biometric systems. As deepfake technology evolves, your security vendors need to keep pace. This team should continuously test vendor solutions and recommend updates or replacements when tools become obsolete.
Read more: High-Stakes Talent Acquisition
Build a modern fraud team with highly skilled professionals.
Madison-Davis understands the hybrid skills your fraud team needs. We are equipped with a network of professionals with specialized talents that can help you keep your business safe and future-ready.
Allow us to find candidates with the technical expertise and practical experience needed to defend against AI-enabled threats. Let’s talk about how we can help you build a fraud-resilient team before the next attack hits. Reach out to us today.
References
- “FBI Releases Annual Internet Crime Report.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, 23 Apr. 2025, www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-annual-internet-crime-report.
- “Synthetic Identity Document Fraud Surges 300% in the U.S. – Sumsub Warns E-Commerce, Healthtech and Fintech at Risk.” PR Newswire, 12 Jun. 2025, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synthetic-identity-document-fraud-surges-300-in-the-us–sumsub-warns-e-commerce-healthtech-and-fintech-at-risk-302479872.html.
