U.S. Cyber Crime Climbing: 90% of Americans targeted by digital scams

News provided by

F-Secure 

Nov 14, 2024, 12:19 ET

F-Secure’s Landmark Report Unmasks the Disturbing Truth of Digital Scams in the U.S. and across the Globe, Highlighting the Need for Increased Cyber Security and Consumer Protection Measures in the Age of AI, Digital Media, and Online Shopping

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Alarming new insights from F-Secure’s U.S. Scam Intelligence & Impact Report show 90% of Americans were targeted in a digital scam attempt in the last year, with 1 in 4 believing they fell victim to a scam, and 3 in 10 losing money to cyber crime. These are just some of the concerning trends unmasked in the survey, revealing the rapidly rising prevalence of digital scams in the United States.

F-Secure, the world leader in scam protection, surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about their experience with scams and scam attempts, shining light on this rapidly growing security issue. The report found even more troubling trends in how scammers continuously exploit people:
 

• 66% of Americans encountered scams at least monthly last year – leading to loss of money, time, personal information, and data
• $159 Billion was lost to scams in the U.S. alone last year, with scam victims losing $2,600 each on average (GASA)
• 7 in 10 Americans admit worrying about their online safety
• 40% of Americans say they face more scam attempts now than they did just 12 months ago
• 57% of Americans think they will be scammed in the future
   

Thanks to advances in AI technology and the ever-increasing digitization of our daily lives – from paying bills and online shopping, to virtual healthcare and even online dating – scam attempts are going to continue rising. F-Secure stops these threats in their tracks, warning potential scam victims the moment they’re at risk.

“As scammers become more sophisticated, we will only see an increase in them targeting people of all ages and backgrounds,” said Laura Kankaala, Head of Threat Intelligence at F-Secure. “The rise of AI adds a new layer to how U.S. citizens can be taken advantage of, as this technology is being leveraged nefariously to create believable fake voices and images from citizens’ data, such as pictures, videos and audio posted on the internet. Ultimately, it’s up to us to take back our power and protect ourselves by combining technology, expertise, education, best practices, and vigilance.”
 

It’s clear that consumers want their service providers to protect them from these cyber threats: 81% globally say they trust their broadband operators to provide digital protection, and 71% also trust their insurance companies. More than 200 of these service providers use F-Secure as their security partner, allowing them to give their subscribers cutting-edge cyber security solutions, and protecting tens of millions of people from the constant digital dangers they face.
 

Click here to read F-Secure’s full U.S. Scam Intelligence & Impact Report.

About F-Secure

F-Secure makes every digital moment more secure, for every­one. We deliver brilliantly simple, frictionless security experiences that make life easier for the tens of millions of people we protect and for our more than 200 service provider partners. For over 35 years, we’ve led the cyber security industry, inspired by a pioneering spirit born out of a shared commitment to do better by working together.

PRESS CONTACTS:

Meghan Sawyer
Public Relations Manager
Meghan. Sawyer@f-secure.com

Nicole Rodrigues
NRPR Group – For F-Secure U.S.
nicole@nrprgroup.com

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SOURCE F-Secure