The Dominican Republic had the highest number of fraud victims in the Americas in the second half of 2024
5 minutes read
• 12% of Dominicans reported recently being victims of digital fraud.
• 30% of Dominicans who said they had been targeted by fraud reported that the attempt involved vishing, the main fraud scheme.
• In 2024, the online gambling industry had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud in the country, a change from 2023 when online communities were the most targeted.
Dominican Republic, 1 May 2025 – 12% of 500 Dominicans surveyed by TransUnion said they had been victims of fraud via email, online, phone calls or text messages between August and December 2024, while almost a quarter (24%) said they were aware of having been targeted by fraud but did not fall victim.
Almost a third (30%) of Dominicans who said they had been targeted by these fraud attempts reported that it happened through vishing, when phone scammers try to trick recipients into revealing personal information.
These are some of the findings of the newly released TransUnion H1 2025 Omnichannel Fraud Report Update, which shows how Dominican consumers continue to be targeted by fraudsters through a wide range of channels.
“With nine out of ten Dominicans using mobile phones for their daily activities, to connect with friends or to keep in touch with family, it is easy to understand why vishing would be such a common tactic among fraudsters targeting this region,” said Diana Martínez, Director of Fraud Solutions for TransUnion in Latin America. “While cybercriminals will strike at any time using any channel, they seem to focus on the most popular channels in the regions they target.”
64% of Dominican respondents said they had not been targeted by fraud via email, online, phone calls or text messages at all. This raises questions about whether these respondents were in fact targeted by fraud but simply were not aware of it.
According to the TransUnion study, the Dominican Republic had the highest percentage of respondents among the countries surveyed in the Americas who said they had been victims of fraud via email, online, phone calls or text messages in the second half of 2024.
Table 1: Consumers in the Americas targeted by digital fraud schemes
| Country | Targeted and victimised | Targeted but not victimised | Not targeted | Most reported fraud scheme |
| Dominican Republic | 12% | 24% | 64% | Vishing |
| Mexico | 11% | 31% | 58% | Stolen credit card |
| Puerto Rico | 11% | 25% | 63% | Stolen credit card |
| United States | 11% | 41% | 48% | Smishing |
| Brazil | 10% | 30% | 60% | Vishing |
| Canada | 9% | 47% | 44% | Phishing |
| Chile | 9% | 30% | 61% | Vishing |
| Colombia | 9% | 33% | 58% | Vishing |
Source: TransUnion consumer survey
Communities and video gaming among the industries most targeted by suspected digital fraud
Globally, communities had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud attempts in 2024. Almost 12% of all transactions made in communities (web properties such as online forums and dating sites) were suspected of being digital fraud last year. This was closely followed by video gaming (11%), gambling (including online betting, poker, etc.) at 8% and retail (8%), making up the top four.
The logistics industry, which has seen a rise in shipping fraud (often carried out by organised crime rings), saw the largest growth in the volume of
suspected digital fraud globally in 2024, with an increase of more than 100% over 2023. That said, the fraud rate remains relatively modest at 3%. Gambling also saw a significant year-on-year change in volume, with a 20% increase. Telecommunications (-79%), insurance (-29%) and video gaming (-23%) saw the largest decreases in the volume of suspected digital fraud.
“Digital fraud on community platforms is by no means a new phenomenon. In 2024, it seems fraudsters targeted these areas with renewed vigour,” said Martínez. “Cybercriminals exploit the inherent trust in community platforms and target members with a wide range of scammer requests, the most reported type of digital fraud in communities.”
Table 2: Gambling had the highest rates of suspected digital fraud in 2024 and the largest volume increase in the Dominican Republic
| Industry | 2024 suspected digital fraud attempt rate | Change in volume of suspected digital fraud attempts 2023 to 2024 |
| Gambling (online sports betting, poker, etc.) | 18.6% | 97.2% |
| Communities (web properties such as online forums and dating sites) | 17.0% | -7.7% |
| Retail | 9.8% | 42.7% |
| Video gaming | 9.6% | -39.2% |
| Government | 7.3% | 34.8% |
| Financial services | 5.7% | -17.7% |
| Insurance | 2.4% | 25.0% |
| Telecommunications | 1.1% | -64.4% |
| Travel and leisure | 0.3% | 53.2% |
Source: TransUnion TruValidate™
For transactions made in the Dominican Republic, the gambling industry had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud at 18.6% in 2024, an increase of 97.2% from 2023. This is a change from 2023, when communities had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud in the country.
Digital fraud comes at a high cost for consumers
Consumers faced significant losses due to fraud. Among consumers surveyed by TransUnion in 18 countries and regions in November and December 2024, 29% said they had lost money to fraud online, via email, phone calls or text messages in the past year.
The survey found that the average amount those consumers said they had lost to fraud in the past year was 110,162 Dominican pesos. For those who said they had lost money to fraud in the Dominican Republic, the average amount lost was 45,581 Dominican pesos.
TransUnion reached its conclusions on digital fraud based on intelligence from TransUnion TruValidate.
Country and region-specific data in the report include the Dominican Republic, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. Download the TransUnion H1 2025 Omnichannel Fraud Report Update for more information and insights on global fraud trends.
About TransUnion
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with more than 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries, including the Dominican Republic. We make trust possible by ensuring that each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this by providing a multidimensional view of consumers, managed with care.
Through our acquisitions and technology investments, we have developed innovative solutions in areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good®, creating economic opportunities, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
