Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

Nearly One in Five Consumers Struck by Online Identity Fraud, According to ACI Worldwide Speedpay Pulse Report

Consumers turning to billers to safeguard their data as threat of digital payments fraud escalates

Digital payment preferences are surging, according to the 2024 ACI Speedpay Pulse Report, published by ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), an original innovator in global payments technology. More than three-quarters of Americans now prefer to pay their bills digitally, especially Gen Z and Millennials, who show a significant inclination toward mobile payments. However, this increase in digital payments also brings about heightened risks – almost one in five consumers surveyed has fallen prey to online identity theft.

ACI’s annual Speedpay Pulse research report looks at consumer billing and payment trends, providing billers with insights and practical advice to capitalize on emerging trends and address threats impacting their business. This year’s report, now in its 7th edition, includes new survey questions to reflect the rapid proliferation of digital communications and payment channels, shedding light on the concurrent increase in digital identity and payments fraud.

"The surge in digital payments adoption presents promising growth opportunities for billers, but the threats of online identity theft and other risks continue to burden consumers," said Ron Shultz, General Manager of ACI Speedpay. “This creates a prime opportunity for billers to enhance their payment capabilities with advanced, AI-powered fraud management solutions and double down on fraud awareness education to create a differentiated and secure customer experience."

Key Report Insights

  • 77% of Americans now prefer to pay their bills digitally, with 26% displaying a preference for mobile over website. The shift to mobile is primarily driven by biller and bank mobile apps and digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
  • 18.7% report falling victim to online identity theft, with two in five reporting that an incident resulted in accounts being opened in their name.
  • More than one-third of consumers believe their data is less secure than it was five years ago, a figure that has increased steadily.
  • 29% of the consumers who rarely change passwords only do so when prompted by billers, highlighting the need for increased biller outreach and education.
  • Almost 50% of consumers surveyed do not believe that companies properly educate them on how to keep their data secure, an increase from 2023.
  • Consumers’ fear of scams is making debt collection harder; 34% of those surveyed said they avoid communications from debt collectors. Billers can replace debt collectors with virtual agents to create a secure, non-intrusive, and efficient debt collection platform.

For more insights into billing and payment trends, click here to download the report, or visit https://www.aciworldwide.com/solutions/aci-speedpay.

About ACI Speedpay Pulse Methodology

The ACI Speedpay Pulse is a longitudinal consumer billing and payment trends research study conducted by ACI Worldwide. Each ACI Speedpay Pulse data set includes responses from a survey of at least 3,000 unique respondents (no repeat participation within a one-year period). Each survey sample is U.S. Census balanced among adults aged 18 and older who are responsible for submitting payments for at least two of their household's monthly bills. Survey margin of error is less than 1.8% for questions answered by the entire sample. Questions with a smaller base will have a higher margin of error. If presented, statistical testing is at the 95% confidence level.

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide, an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that power intelligent payments orchestration in real time so banks, billers, and merchants can drive growth, while continuously modernizing their payment infrastructures, simply and securely. With nearly 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities.

© Copyright ACI Worldwide, Inc. 2024

ACI, ACI Worldwide, ACI Payments, Inc., ACI Pay, Speedpay, and all ACI product/solution names are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACI Worldwide, Inc., or one of its subsidiaries, in the United States, other countries, or both. Other parties’ trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.