Out of all age groups, Gen Z is now most likely to fall for scams

Quick question: if a scammer was trying to pull off a con on two groups of people, one aged 13-21, and one aged 55+, which group would be more likely to fall for the scam?

If you’d guess the group aged 55+, you may want to think again.

Yes, older adults are a more vulnerable group that is also sometimes less tech savvy than their younger counterparts. They have long been labeled the age group that is most likely to fall for a scam. But it’s time for the young to face the reality that their parents, even if they may not have their own TikTok account or know what a situationship is, do know a thing or two about life. Apparently, experience and common sense born of age are quite the teachers.

A recent study by Social Catfish, an online investigation service, found that no age group has fallen for online scams at a quicker rate than people under the age of 21. From 2017 to 2022, the money lost by Gen Z grew close to 2,500% compared to 805% for seniors. In total, teens lost $8.2 million in 2017, and $210 million in 2022. While older adults still lose the most money to scams, teens are falling for them with the most velocity of all age groups.

 

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