2025 Jumio

Online Identity Study

Global Consumer Research

About the Research

Now in its fourth year, the annual Jumio Online Identity Study explores consumer awareness around issues involving online identity, fraud risks and current methods used to protect consumer data.

This year’s results paint a stark picture: trust in digital life is crumbling under the weight of deepfakes, misinformation, and cybercrime.

Total Respondents:

8,001 adult consumers

Countries Studied

Sectors Studied

Key Findings

69% of consumers say AI-powered fraud now poses a greater threat to personal security than traditional forms of identity theft, and confidence in online authenticity continues to erode amid growing fears of manipulated content and AI-driven deception.

Compared to 12 months ago, AI-powered fraud has become a bigger threat to personal security than traditional identity theft methods.

Compared to 12 months ago, AI-generated scams are harder to detect than traditional scams.

Consumers are more skeptical of the content they see online.

Just 37% of global consumers more strongly believe that most social media accounts are authentic.

Only 36% of global consumers are more trusting of news they see online, despite the possibility of encountering deepfakes or manipulated content.

This skepticism of online content correlated with varying degrees of deepfake awareness.

How confident or not confident are you in your ability to spot a deepfake video?

Confident

Not confident

I don’t know what a deepfake video is

Consumers increasingly recognize the risks of conducting life and business online, and worry daily about a number of AI-powered fraud tactics.

How worried, if at all, do you get on a day-to-day basis about the following?

image of woman sitting behind computer screen. Green gradient overlay

Fake digital IDs or documents created using AI (e.g., someone altering a digital ID or driver’s license to steal an identity)

Scam emails or messages that use AI to trick people into giving away passwords or money (e.g., more convincing phishing scams)

Videos or voice recordings that look or sound real but are actually fake (e.g., deepfakes of a celebrity, politician, or even a family member)

Being fooled by manipulated social media content (e.g., AI-generated or edited posts spreading misinformation)

“As generative AI continues to lower the barrier for sophisticated scams, Jumio’s findings highlight an urgent need for businesses to rethink digital identity protection — not only to reduce fraud, but also to preserve customer trust and digital engagement itself.”

— Bala Kumar, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Jumio

As consumers prepare for industrialized AI fraud, they look to tech companies for leadership.

In the absence of strong regulatory protections, consumers are taking matters into their own hands…but don’t necessarily want to go it alone.

When asked who they trust most to protect their personal data from AI-powered fraud, 93% said themselves, far more than those who trust government agencies (85%) or Big Tech (88%).

When asked who should be responsible for stopping AI-powered fraud, 43% pointed to Big Tech, compared to just 18% who chose themselves.

The rapidly evolving fraud landscape is forcing companies to modernize fraud defenses and rethink how they protect consumers now and in the future. Jumio’s research found that consumers are open to the additional steps this may require.

Most respondents globally said they would be willing to spend more time completing comprehensive identity verification processes, especially in sectors where stakes are high, like banking and financial services (80%), government services (78%), and healthcare (76%).

“Our industry must develop the tools we need to stay ahead of the AI-fraud arms race, because traditional identity verification isn’t going to cut it anymore. From multi-modal biometrics to connected data, Jumio is committed to putting the next generation of identity intelligence in the hands of enterprises. However, we must ensure we take consumers on this journey too. Building a trustworthy digital world depends on strong consumer education and transparency.”

— Robert Prigge, CEO, Jumio

Security in Travel and Hospitality

Trouble in Paradise?

As consumers worldwide set out for summer leisure, digital identity protection may be taking a more prominent spot on the packing checklist.

44% of consumers are not confident that travel and hospitality services are protecting them against AI-powered fraud.

For the sharing economy (including vacation rentals and other travel-focused gig economy services), confidence falls even further, with 60% in the U.S. and 50% globally saying they don’t feel adequately protected.

In response to this distrust, consumers worldwide are slightly more willing to invest more time in identity verification on these platforms than in 2024.

Travel & Hospitality

Sharing Economy

Fraud in Higher Education

AI-Savvy Students Expect Tougher Digital Identity Protections

Students are both early adopters of generative AI and the group most exposed to its risks.

70% of students have used an AI tool to alter or enhance an existing image, or to create completely new images.

With that awareness comes expectation: students are pushing institutions — from banks to schools — to advance identity intelligence measures and safeguard their data.

38% of students feel safer using biometric verification instead of passwords for online accounts.

42% of students would trust their bank more if it used biometric identity verification instead of passwords.

“Students understand both the power and the risks of AI, which makes them far more open to new safeguards like biometric verification. For colleges and universities, this is a rare chance to lead with privacy-first identity intelligence, not only protecting against AI-driven fraud, but also meeting the expectations of a generation ready to embrace stronger protections.”

— Bala Kumar, chief product and technology officer, Jumio

Students are setting the tone for broader digital trust standards, and are clear about their protection standards and who they expect to take responsibility for fraud prevention.

40% of students believe the responsibility for stopping AI-powered fraud lies with government agencies, more so than big tech (38%) or individual platforms.

24% of students cited organizations’ misuse or sale of identity data as their biggest concern around online identity verification.

“As digital identity verification becomes more sophisticated, so must our commitment to privacy. Enterprises that want to earn and keep the trust of students must adopt technologies that prioritize data protection by design and ensure ethical use of AI from the start.”

— Joe Kaufmann, global head of privacy, Jumio

Resources

Jumio Platform

FEATURED RESOURCE