9 in 10 Americans Hit by Cyber Scams as AI Drives Fraud Surge, Report Reveals
9 in 10 Americans face cyber scams as AI boosts fraud. Consumer Reports highlights rising threats and urgent security measures.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — A new study has revealed that 90% of Americans have experienced a digital scam or cyberattack, with artificial intelligence playing a growing role in making these crimes more effective and widespread.
The research, conducted by Consumer Reports, Aspen Digital, and the Global Cyber Alliance, found that 17% of consumers have lost money due to a digital security breach. The survey, which included nearly 5,000 U.S. adults, highlights a growing fear among the public about the safety of their personal data and financial accounts.
Phil Radford, president and CEO of Consumer Reports, emphasized the alarming scale of the issue, stating that nine in ten Americans have been targeted by a scam or cyberattack. That’s not a statistic, that is almost everyone we serve. He added that AI is enabling scammers to operate faster, cheaper, and with greater personalization, urging companies and governments to implement stronger safeguards.
Experts warn that even tech-savvy individuals are vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated attacks, such as deepfake scams that mimic trusted sources. These tactics use stolen personal information to create convincing, tailored messages, making it harder for people to detect fraud.
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“AI allows scammers to make better use of the personal data they have on consumers, and lowers the cost of reaching even more people with those personalized messages,” said Higginbotham, a cybersecurity expert. She noted that one in five scams now includes some level of customization, a trend expected to grow rapidly.
While personal precautions like multifactor authentication are important, experts say they are not enough. Brian Cute, president and CEO of the Global Cyber Alliance, stressed that addressing the root causes of cybercrime requires collaboration between industry, government, and philanthropy. “Closing those gaps takes industry, government and philanthropy working together,” he said.
A simple but effective strategy to reduce risk is to take a moment before responding to suspicious messages. Initiatives like Take9 encourage users to count to nine before clicking on links or sharing information, helping to prevent impulsive actions that could lead to fraud.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
