Feedzai, a company that uses real-time, machine-based learning to analyze big data, has found that the top date for card present fraud in 2013 was Black Friday.

In a news release, the company said it analyzed data representing more than 17.5 billion transactions in both card present and card not present environments, and found the following:

• CNP fraudsters are bigger spenders. The average CNP fraudster spends about $900 per card in five days, while CP fraudsters take seven days to spend an average of $450.
• CNP fraud spikes in November, CP fraud dominates Black Friday. November toted up the busiest 10 days for CNP fraud in 2013, more than tripling the numbers for June, the month with the least CNP fraud. Black Friday was not among November's biggest CNP fraud days; fraudsters were too busy committing CP fraud at brick-and-mortar stores.
• Fraudsters have preferred operating hours ... noon to 1 p.m. is the busiest time for CNP fraud; CP fraud is more likely to occur from 4–5 p.m.
• and they like Mondays ... Overall, Monday is the biggest day for fraud; Sunday is the smallest. CP fraud is 42 percent higher on Saturday than on Sunday; CNP is 92 percent higher on Monday than on Sunday.
• and groceries and laptops. Grocery stores and supermarkets (25 percent) and home supply warehouse stores (8 percent) are top venues for CP fraud. For CNP, top targets are electronics sellers (11 percent) and discounters (10.2 percent).

"As we approach the holiday season, we are bound to see more evidence in fraud, especially with CNP transactions, and it will likely be bigger this season than last," said Feedzai CEO Nuno Sebastiaoi. "Fraudsters are also quickly shifting behaviors and targets as shoppers change behaviors. We expect that we will continue to see more cross-channel fraud this season as shoppers look to save time by ordering online and picking up in-store."