Last updated:
4th August 2025
Account takeover
ATO Fraud
Account takeover (ATO) fraud is where a criminal pretends to be the genuine account holder or customer and gains control of the account in order to use it for fraudulent purchases, or to transfer money out to other accounts.
This can happen due to:
- hacking into a computer system where usernames and passwords are stolen
- phishing scams
- device (laptop, mobile) is monitored by fraudsters tracking keystrokes who learn sensitive data like passwords and usernames and patterns of the user. This can happen when malicious software has been unknowingly downloaded onto the device.
