Consumers in Germany are worried about attempted fraud on the Internet – especially in light of new methods using artificial intelligence (AI). Around nine out of ten respondents (91 percent) said in a survey conducted by payment service provider Visa that they had already fallen victim to attempted fraud on the Internet. 83 percent believe that attempted fraud on the Internet has increased in the past twelve months. And almost all (94 percent) are worried that such fraud will be even more difficult to detect through the use of artificial intelligence.

17 percent of those surveyed knowingly came into contact with “deepfakes.” This refers to realistic-looking photo, audio, or video recordings that were created or altered by artificial intelligence. The number is significantly higher among those under 35 (27 percent), according to the survey. To this end, the opinion research institute Forsa conducted a representative survey of around 1,000 people in Germany aged 18 and over in May.

Common scams known and widespread

More than 90 percent of those surveyed are familiar with common scams such as phishing, the grandparent scam and shock messages. 80 percent have already received a fake message from parcel or delivery services and 64 percent have received phishing messages in the name of a bank. 42 percent have received fraudulent text messages that supposedly come from grandchildren, mothers or other relatives. 14 percent have experienced such phone calls.

Just as many have been the target of “love scamming”. This involves fraudsters trying to build a relationship using fake profiles on social media in order to get money. Around three in five respondents (64 percent) are familiar with this scam.

Consumers with confident assessment

Many consumers believe they can identify fraud. Over half (59 percent) say they find it easy to recognize fraudulent websites or emails. However, many are afraid of the use of AI in fraud schemes.

“The manipulation of people through techniques such as phishing and social engineering is becoming an increasingly important focus of fraud attempts,” says Tobias Czekalla, Visa’s Germany boss. Artificial intelligence is also an important pillar in the fight against fraud. Visa protects payments with over a hundred different AI models, explained Czekalla. Visa’s AI-supported fraud detection prevented around 40 billion US dollars (around 37 billion euros) in damage worldwide in 2023 alone.

Overall, respondents are divided on the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence: 38 percent believe the opportunities outweigh the risks, while the majority (54 percent) are more concerned about the risks. The perceived threat is greater among the generation over 60 (65 percent) than among consumers under 35 (45 percent).