FIU: 108,000 Suspected Cases of Financial Fraud, Particularly Involving Fintech Companies

For years, neobanks and fintech companies have been seen as symbols of quick account openings, seamless digital processes, and a low barrier to entry for customers. However, according to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), it is precisely these factors that also make them an attractive target for fraudsters. In 2025, the Cologne-based agency, which is part of the customs service, received 108,158 reports of suspicious activity. Not only is this a record high, but it’s also significantly higher than last year’s figure of 34,357. What is striking is that the majority of reports involve neobanks.
Yet it is not just a few high-profile, headline-grabbing incidents that are driving the rise in crime. Instead, the perpetrators exploit digital security vulnerabilities and often steal only small or moderate amounts—but this is still economically lucrative many thousands of times over before customers and financial institutions really wake up to the problem and take countermeasures…