A synthetic identity (ID) is a fake identity that a fraudster creates by combining real information with false data.
Synthetic identities often start with a stolen Social Security number, date of birth, and/or name, which are then paired with a fake address, phone number, email address, and other PII. Because synthetic IDs contain some information that is real, they can be harder to detect than IDs that are purely fabricated.
Synthetic IDs are an integral part of synthetic fraud whereby bad actors attempt to open fraudulent accounts or lines of credit; make fraudulent purchases; and commit healthcare fraud, employment fraud, and more. Synthetic IDs can even be leveraged for terrorist financing.