Synthetic identity fraud
Creating a fictitious identity by combining real stolen data (such as a Social Security Number) with invented personal details, to open accounts and accumulate credit with no intention of repaying.
Also known as: synthetic fraud, credit farming
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Synthetic identity fraud blends real and fabricated information to construct an identity that belongs to no single real person. A fraudster might use a real Social Security Number — often from a child, elderly person, or recent immigrant with no credit history — combined with a fictitious name, date of birth, and address.
This synthetic identity is then used to apply for credit cards, loans, and banking products. The fraudster builds a credit history slowly over months or years — a process called 'credit farming' — making small purchases and repayments to build trust, before finally maxing out every credit line and disappearing.
Because the identity doesn't match any single real victim, synthetic identity fraud is harder to detect than traditional identity theft. The real owner of the stolen SSN may not discover the fraud for years.