Milan, August 26 (LaPresse) – According to the Bank of Italy’s report on fraudulent payment operations for the second half of 2024, fraudulent transfers (excluding branch-initiated ones) via Italian payment service providers (PSPs) totaled approximately €65.5 million, a 61% year-on-year increase. In contrast, fraud involving payment cards (debit and credit) dropped to €34 million (-20%), while electronic money fraud fell to €9 million (-36%), totaling €108.5 million across the six-month period. The central bank notes that although overall incidence remains low and consumer protections are often in place, payment fraud remains an insidious threat that requires strong prevention efforts. Bank transfers had the highest monetary losses, while card transactions were more frequently targeted by fraudsters.