Identity Fraud: The New Crimewave Targeting Remote Work

The Urgency of High-Assurance Identity Proofing Amid Growing Identity Fraud Matt Graves • January 23, 2026

Remote work promised efficiency, diversity and expanded access to global talent. But it also opened a side door that cybercriminals, state-sponsored operatives and fraud rings have learned to exploit. The result is a new kind of crimewave in which attackers don't break into networks. They walk through the front door wearing someone else's face.

See Also: On-Demand | NYDFS MFA Compliance: Real-World Solutions for Financial Institutions

Identity-based attacks tied to remote hiring have surged from fringe anomalies to full-blown enterprise threats.

A Fraud Economy Built on Remote Access

More than 38% of today's global workforce consists of contractors, vendors and external workers - a shift that expands the trust perimeter that companies must secure. When combined with remote hiring and inconsistent onboarding practices, the risks multiply.

Nearly half of organizations have experienced ...