Targeted by cybercrime? This study says you're probably about 40 or younger 

While more people are increasingly concerned about cybercrimes, younger adults report falling victim to online scams at a higher rate than older generations, according to a recent study.

The findings from the National Cybersecurity Alliance, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., and CybSafe, a cybersecurity awareness and data analytics company in London, said the reason is likely because younger generations spend more time online.

The groups said that conclusion from the study aligns with previous research showing those between the ages of 18 and 35 are more vulnerable to phishing attacks, where people are tricked into revealing information to a malicious entity that seems legitimate.

The study comes as the most recent report from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center shows an increase in digital attacks, with online fraud resulting in $12.5 billion in losses to the public in 2023 — a 22% jump since 2022.

This past spring, the FBI warned people about authentic-sounding social media voice messages, video messages and emails that can be used to defraud individuals and businesses.

The rise in cybersecurity crime losses also comes during a time when experts are considering whether increased use of artificial intelligence will make people more vulnerable to digital attacks.

'Don't click anything'

The study showed 61% of 6,749 people surveyed across the United States and six other countries were worried about being a cybercrime victim. It also indicated those worries were greater in people born between 1928 and 1945, a group known as the Silent Generation.

But it was younger generations that "are experiencing the highest rates of victimization," according to the findings. 

Josh Nunez, 32, who works in a Williston Park computer repair shop, said Thursday that surprised him. Many of the shop’s customers are members of older generations, according to Nunez.

“Younger people play more video games and look for anything free, free movies and free music, and they need to be careful there. They may not know what they’re accepting,” he said of clicking links and downloading files.

The study showed that of those surveyed, 52% percent of adults born between 1997 and 2012, or Gen Z, reported having lost money or data in online scams, followed by 46% of millennials, born between 1981 and 1996.

Meanwhile, only 16% of baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, and members of the Silent Generation reported they were victims of cybercrime incidents. 

"The bottom line is, these days you have to just hang up the phone or don't respond to the text or don't respond to the email. Don't click anything in the email and independently verify what's happening," Lisa Plaggemier, executive director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance, said of suspicious communications.

Survey respondents disclosed 3,346 cybercrime incidents, including phishing scams, identify theft and online dating scams that resulted in a loss of money or information. Phishing and online dating scams accounted for the highest number of incidents, according to the study. 

Of note, the study also showed younger generations had a bleaker view when it comes to trying to protect themselves online. Fifty-one percent of Gen Z and 49% of millennials felt having data stolen is outside their control, while only 24% of baby boomers and 34% of Silent Generation members felt the same way.

'Harder to detect'

More than half of those surveyed said they think AI will make it harder to avoid falling victim to scams. Plaggemier said cyberscams are using more sophisticated social engineering tools as AI technology continues to evolve.

"For the average consumer, the attacks are going to get a lot more sophisticated and harder to detect," she added.

Justin Cappos, a computer science professor at New York University, said people may use AI for help with confidential matters without recognizing the risk of leaking personal information. He gave the example of people using online language translation sites to figure out their taxes.

"The majority of people don't really understand how it works, the limitations, the risk, the problems, and that makes it a really ripe area for people like cybercriminals," Cappos said of AI.

But not all experts believe AI will make for a more dangerous online world.

"With AI tools, more scammers will be able to send out well-formed phishing emails and texts, but these attacks are essentially the same as pre-AI," said Nick Nikiforakis, a computer science professor at Stony Brook University.

Plaggemier said more than half of those surveyed who reported using AI tools said they had no training on its risks, and she hopes employers will do more to educate people on that front at work to try to fight a problem that's trending upward.

"People are starting to use these things without understanding exactly what they're giving away," she said.