Seventeen percent of respondents in that age bracket said they had lost money to fraudsters impersonating institutions such as the tax office, the Social Insurance Institution, the National Health Fund or the Polish Post, according to the survey by ChronPESEL.pl and the National Debt Register. Nearly half — 43% — said they had recently received a fake message or call of this kind.
The irony, researchers say, is that young people largely see cyber fraud as a problem for the elderly, even as the data point the other way.
"Younger users are often confident in their digital skills, which can lower their guard", said Bartłomiej Drozd, an expert at ChronPESEL.pl.
The scams work by manufacturing urgency, warning of unpaid fines, bogus surcharges or missing paperwork tied to a government deadline. Many are carried out through "spoofing", which lets criminals disguise a phone number or email address so it appears to come from an official source, lending the message false credibility.
The damage often goes beyond a single transaction. Victims who hand over banking passwords or identification scans can find criminals taking out loans in their name through non-bank lenders.
Drozd urged particular wariness toward messages that pressure recipients or dangle a fast refund.
"Messages that pressure recipients, threaten consequences or promise a quick refund should raise particular concern", he said.
Experts recommend against clicking links or downloading attachments in unsolicited messages, and advise verifying any claim by contacting an institution directly through its official website or hotline. Anyone who has already shared sensitive data, they say, should immediately alert their bank to freeze accounts and cards, and file a report with police.
(jh)
Source: Polish Radio