TransUnion: synthetic identities leave US lenders with $2.4B fraud exposure

US lenders faced an estimated $2.4 billion in exposure to synthetic identity fraud risk at the end of June 2026, with auto lending accounting for $1.5 billion, according to TransUnion. 81% of suspected digital fraud on its network in H1 2026 occurred during account logins and financial transactions.

• The $2.4B figure measures potential lender losses, not losses already incurred
• Auto lending accounts for the largest share at $1.5 billion
• 81% of suspected digital fraud occurred at logins and financial transactions
• 42% of business leaders cite fraud scale as significant or severe pressure