F-Secure's third annual report finds scams now reach 56% of consumers monthly, with financial losses doubling and nearly 40 million U.S. victims in the past year

LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Scammers targeted more than half of all consumers in 2025, and financial losses are surging. New research from F-Secure shows victims are now losing money at more than double the rate of a year ago. The global consumer cyber security leader just released its third annual Scam Intelligence & Impacts Report, showing how the scam economy is evolving to take more money from more people, faster than ever, with nearly 40 million victims in the U.S. this year alone.

The numbers are stark. While scam exposure has held steady, with 56% of consumers encountering attempts at least monthly, the financial damage has doubled. 52% of victims now lose money, more than twice the figure from 2025. Nearly one in five consumers reports falling victim. And the types of scams causing the most damage have shifted: fake invoice fraud, investment scams, and banking and payment fraud now dominate, reflecting a deliberate move toward higher-value targets.

"Scams are getting so much more efficient. Criminals are choosing their targets more carefully and closing in faster," said Dr. Megan Squire, Threat Intelligence Researcher at F-Secure. "When you look at this data, it's important to remember that each statistic is a real person who has lost money, confidence, or peace of mind. The financial losses we're seeing now are a clear signal that the threat has fundamentally changed."

The report also reveals a sharp split in who bears the greatest risk. Younger adults face higher exposure, but older victims are more likely to lose money when they are targeted: 60% of victims aged 65 to 74 report financial loss. Scams don't hit everyone the same way, and protecting people effectively means understanding those differences.

Key Findings:

• Exposure is widespread: 56% of consumers encounter scam attempts at least monthly
• Financial loss has more than doubled: 52% of victims lose money, up from 2025 levels
• AI and organized crime are reshaping scams: making fraud more scalable, convincing, and harder to detect
• Scams are targeting higher value: fake invoice (20%), investment (19%), and banking or payment (11%) scams dominate
• Nearly one in five falls victim: 19% of consumers report being scammed
• Age shapes impact: younger adults face higher exposure; 60% of victims aged 65-74 lose money
• Security drives provider choice: 93% say it matters that their provider offers cyber security; 82% factor it into their decision
• Demand remains strong: 51% are willing to pay for scam protection

Security is Now a Dealbreaker
Consumers are now choosing (and leaving) digital service providers based on how safe they feel. Trust has become the market: 93% of consumers say it matters that their provider offers cyber security, and 82% say it influences which provider they choose. 69% of consumers also say they'd switch providers based on their security offering.

"The trust crisis is accelerating on two fronts: consumer behavior and the evolving threat landscape. As AI increasingly shapes both how decisions are made and how scams are carried out, it's becoming harder for people to distinguish what's real from what's not," said Timo Laaksonen, President & CEO at F-Secure. "That shift demands a move beyond traditional protection toward building true resilience and trust across the entire digital experience. Aside from being the 'right thing' to build, trust is now a provider's biggest growth driver."

Chapters include:

• The Cost of Scams: Same Exposure, Double the Loss
• Trust Under Attack: The Scam Threats of 2026
• The AI Arms Race: Inside the Global Fight Against Scams
• Live Your Best Digital Life: A New Model for Trust

The 2026 F-Secure Scam Intelligence & Impacts Report is available now.

About F-Secure

F-Secure is a human-first, AI-powered consumer cyber security experience company with 37 years of expertise in tackling digital threats. We help Digital Service Providers turn trust into a high-value growth engine — protecting their customers while enabling them to live their best digital lives in a world of relentless, AI-driven scams. 

With billions of digital interactions secured each year, tens of millions of consumers protected globally, and over $10bn in partner value created, we deliver proven impact at scale. To find out more visit f-secure.com/partners.

PRESS CONTACTS:

Meghan Sawyer
Senior Public Relations Manager, US
Meghan.Sawyer@f-secure.com

Joel Latto
Public Relations & Social Media Manager, EMEA
Joel.Latto@f-secure.com

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SOURCE F-Secure