It’s no secret; most data breaches today don’t start with hackers breaking down digital walls; they start with someone simply logging in using stolen credentials. That’s the reality of shaping modern security. The latest account takeover statistics show just how common and damaging this threat has become, turning everyday logins into gateways for fraud, theft, and reputational loss.
This blog post takes a deep dive into the latest data on account takeovers, why these attacks are growing, and what leaders can do to reduce their risk. Along the way, we’ll highlight insights we often hear in conversations with IT and security teams and share why identity protection is now central to business resilience.
What Is an Account Takeover?
Before we get into the numbers, let’s answer a simple but important question: what is an account takeover? An account takeover (ATO) happens when a cybercriminal gains unauthorized access to a user’s account; whether it’s email, banking, ecommerce, or even a corporate SaaS app. Once inside, attackers can steal funds, harvest sensitive data, or impersonate the victim to launch further attacks.
We often hear business owners say, “We’re too small, nobody would target us.” The reality is different. Attackers automate their campaigns and cast a wide net. If credentials are weak or reused, your accounts are in scope.
The scale of ATO growth is no longer linear — it’s compounding.
- 193+ billion credential-stuffing attempts were recorded in one year, according to Akamai.
- Stolen credentials remain one of the top initial access vectors in breaches, per the Verizon DBIR.
- In the education sector alone, 86% of breaches involve compromised credentials, per Enzoic’s analysis.
- Retail and ecommerce face some of the highest malicious login volumes, driven by bots testing stolen passwords, according to Imperva.
- Consumers are increasingly reporting identity-based fraud each year, according to TransUnion’s fraud insights.
The pattern is crystal clear: attackers aren’t guessing passwords; they’re automating credential abuse on an industrial scale.
Account Takeover Fraud Statistics 2025
Here’s what the data says about where ATO fraud stands today:
1. The Frequency Is Exploding
- 29% of U.S. adults (≈77M people) experienced an account takeover in 2024; one of the highest identity-fraud categories, per Security.org.
- 83% of organizations were hit by at least one ATO attack, and 5% suffered more than 25 attacks.
- 26% of companies face an ATO attack every single week.
- ATO attacks surged 24% YoY in 2024,.
2. The Financial Damage Is Steep
- The FTC reported $12.5B in identity-fraud losses in 2024, with ATO being a major contributor.
- Global ATO losses are projected to hit $17B by 2025, according to SEON’s global fraud statistics.
- Each corporate ATO breach costs a company $5M on average, per Security.org.
- Individual victims lose $180 on average, with some losing up to $85,000, also from Security.org.
- ATO fraud losses hit $2.9B, making it the fastest-growing fraud.
How Attackers Are Breaking In (ATO Attack Vectors)
Credential Stuffing
Akamai’s 2024 Securing Apps report recorded 26 billion credential-stuffing attempts per month, yes, per month.
Password Reuse Epidemic
- 62% of Americans reuse passwords, per NordPass.
- 52% of login attempts use leaked credentials, per Cloudflare.
This is rocketing fuel for ATO attacks.
Phishing & PhaaS
Platforms like EvilProxy, Tycoon 2FA, and Sneaky 2FA make advanced phishing accessible to anyone.
- Barracuda recorded 1M+ phishing attacks in the first two months of 2025 alone:
Barracuda
Generative AI has accelerated phishing scale and believability:
- Phishing attacks surged 4,151% after the launch of ChatGPT, per Adaptive Security.
- Barracuda recorded 1M+ phishing attacks in the first two months of 2025 alone:
SIM Swaps
SIM swap attacks rose 20% YoY, per ThreatMark.
Consumer Behavior & Impact
Here’s where things get frustrating:
- 79% of people know what an account takeover is — but habits don’t match awareness, per Security.org.
- A third of Americans feel overwhelmed by password management, says NordPass.
- 11% think password reuse carries “no real risk.”
- 80% of consumers won’t return to a site after experiencing an ATO there, according to Sift.
Proofpoint’s research shows:
- 99% of organizations were targeted for ATO in 2024
- 62% suffered at least one successful breach
Proofpoint
SEON’s latest ATO study adds:
- 22% of U.S. adults experienced an account takeover in the past year
- Resulting in $288B in total losses
The Identity Theft Resource Center observed a 254% YoY rise in ATO attacks in 2023, driven by credential stuffing and phishing.
ITRC
How Organizations Are Responding?
Businesses are finally recognizing ATO as a top-tier threat.
- Two-thirds of financial institutions now rank ATO among their top four cyber risks, per the Cloud Security Alliance.
- 93% of institutions plan to increase AI investments for fraud detection in the next 2–5 years, according to Mastercard.
- 87% of large enterprises (10,000+ employees) enforce MFA, per JumpCloud.
- 80% of financial institutions are adopting face-based biometrics by 2025, per Juniper Research.
- 41% of institutions have customer education programs, according to the Payments Association.
- 65% of U.S. banks use behavioral AI biometrics, per Global Growth Insights.
- By 2029, 760 million people will use biometrics for securing payments, according to Goode Intelligence.
Why Attackers Love Account Takeovers?
Do you ever wonder why have ATOs become so popular among cybercriminals? The answer comes down to three factors:
- Low cost, high return: Buying a database of stolen credentials on the dark web costs very little. Using bots, attackers can try millions of logins with minimal effort.
- Exploiting trust: Once inside an account, criminals can impersonate the victim. This trust factor makes phishing, scams, and financial theft far more effective.
- Hard to detect: Unlike malware, ATOs often look like normal user activity. That’s why traditional security tools miss them.
Industries Most at Risk
Based on the most recent account takeover statistics, the highest risk sectors include:
- Ecommerce: Payment cards, stored credits, loyalty points.
- Financial services: Direct monetary theft, account manipulation, laundering.
- Healthcare: Medical identity theft, fraudulent insurance claims.
- Technology and SaaS: Access to business data, intellectual property, and supply chain partners.
While these industries face the largest volumes of ATO attacks, the truth is that no organization is immune. From small startups to global enterprises, any business that stores accounts is a potential target.
How to Prevent Account Takeovers?
Here’s where prevention strategies become essential. We recommend a layered approach:
- Stronger authentication: Move beyond passwords. Implement MFA, Adaptive authentication, and Passwordless methods like Biometrics, Passkeys, Mobile Push, etc.
- Device and behavior monitoring: Flag unusual login patterns, locations, or devices.
- Credential hygiene: Encourage or enforce strong password policies and promote password managers.
- Customer education: Teach users how to spot phishing attempts and avoid credential reuse.
- Identity verification: For high-risk transactions, add identity proofing measures like biometrics or document checks.
These steps reduce risk, but technology alone is not enough. If the customer experience isn’t seamless, users will bypass security altogether. That’s why adaptive, user-friendly, passwordless authentication solutions are the future.
The Road Ahead
Looking at account takeover statistics, it’s clear we are at a turning point. Attackers are scaling faster than many defenses, and user habits are not keeping pace. The next phase of identity protection must balance two things: stronger controls for businesses and a frictionless experience for users.
At AuthX, we believe this balance is achievable. With passwordless authentication, adaptive MFA, and identitycentric security, organizations can stay ahead of ATO attacks while maintaining user trust.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still wondering what is an account takeover, here’s the simplest answer: it’s when your identity becomes someone else’s weapon. And based on current account takeover statistics, the threat is not slowing down. The question isn’t if attackers will target your organization, it’s when.
By investing in proactive defenses today, businesses can protect their revenue and their relationships with customers. Security is no longer just IT’s problem; it’s a business survival issue.
The data is clear. The urgency is real. The time to act against account takeovers is now.
FAQs
What is an account takeover?
An account takeover happens when attackers gain unauthorized access to a user’s account using stolen credentials. Recent account takeover statistics show these incidents are rapidly increasing across industries.
Why are account takeovers so common today?
Weak passwords, credential reuse, and large-scale data breaches make it easy for attackers to succeed. Bots can test millions of logins daily, fueling the surge in ATO attacks.
Which industries face the highest risk of account takeovers?
E-commerce, financial services, and healthcare are prime targets because accounts often store payment details, loyalty points, or sensitive personal data. Account takeover statistics confirm retail is hit hardest.
How can businesses prevent account takeover attacks?
Companies can reduce risk with multi-factor authentication, passwordless login, and monitoring unusual login behavior. Combining these with identity verification helps stop account takeovers before damage occurs.
