Mobile Scams on the Rise: 44% Encounter Daily Threats, Malwarebytes Reports

TL;DR

Malwarebytes’ recent study reveals that 44% of individuals encounter mobile scams daily, with 78% facing them weekly. These scams lead to significant financial, emotional, and reputational harm. The report highlights the growing concern and blurred lines between safe and unsafe mobile practices.

The Rising Tide of Mobile Scams

Owning a phone has become increasingly fraught with risks. Malicious texts disguised as package delivery notifications, phishing emails impersonating trusted brands, and unknown calls concealing extortion attempts, virtual kidnapping schemes, or AI threats are now commonplace. Even legitimate businesses adopt outreach tactics favored by scammers, such as asking users to scan QR codes, download mobile apps, and engage in direct messages with strangers.

The Impact of Mobile Scams

According to new research by Malwarebytes, 44% of individuals encounter a mobile scam daily, while 78% face them at least weekly. Victims of these scams suffer severe consequences, including financial loss, emotional distress, and reputational damage. Malwarebytes found that 25% of victims were harassed or blackmailed, 19% had their private information exposed, and 15% lost money permanently.

One victim shared their harrowing experience:

“I felt like I was in a horror movie. I never thought it would happen to me like this.”

Key Findings from Malwarebytes’ Research

Malwarebytes conducted original research to understand the reach, frequency, and impact of mobile scams across multiple countries. By surveying 1,300 adults in the US, UK, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, they uncovered a tense mobile landscape characterized by high concern, low action, and blurred lines between safety and risk.

Highlights of the Report

• Widespread Concern: 77% of individuals worry about mobile scams and threats, with the biggest fears revolving around financial loss and fraud (73%), account and device lockout (70%), and identity theft (68%).
• AI and Realistic Scams: 66% are concerned about the future of AI and the increasing realism of scams.
• Low Confidence: Only 15% of people strongly agree that they can confidently identify mobile scams.
• Prevalence of Social Engineering Scams: 74% have encountered social engineering scams, such as phishing attempts or fake FedEx notifications, and 36% have fallen victim.
• Extortion Scams: 37% have encountered extortion scams, with 17% falling victim, including 7% harmed by sextortion scams.
• Family Safe Words: 10% of families use a “safe word” to protect against kidnapping and extortion scams.
• Financial Impact: 52% of scam victims suffered financially, with 18% freezing their credit, 15% losing money permanently, and 8% having accounts opened fraudulently in their name.
• Security Measures: Only 20% of people use traditional security measures like antivirus, VPNs, and identity theft protection.
• Fatalism: 25% of people do not worry about scams, believing it is beyond their control.

For the complete findings, refer to the report: Tap, swipe, scam: How everyday mobile habits carry real risk.

Navigating the Mobile Threat Landscape

The mobile world is rife with risks, and future generations may inherit these challenges. While broad action is needed to catch and stop scammers, individuals can adopt cybersecurity best practices to stay safe. These include using unique passwords, implementing multifactor authentication (MFA), and leveraging tools like Malwarebytes’ free, AI-powered digital safety companion, Scam Guard.

Scam Guard allows users to review concerning texts, emails, phone numbers, links, images, or online messages and receive immediate guidance to avert and report scams. It is available for both free and paid users of Malwarebytes Mobile Security (iOS and Android) without requiring additional app installations.

Download Malwarebytes Mobile Security for iOS or Android to try it out.

For more details, visit the full article: Malwarebytes Blog.

Conclusion

The prevalence of mobile scams highlights the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures. By staying informed and adopting best practices, individuals can navigate the mobile threat landscape more securely. Malwarebytes’ Scam Guard offers a valuable tool in this ongoing battle against mobile scams.