5 Key Takeaways from the GASA Global State of Scams 2025 Report

Around the world, governments and banks have been making strong headway in the efforts to stop the threat of scams. However, new research from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance shows consumers from 42 countries lost roughly $442 billion to scams in the past year. This means there is still much work to be done to protect people from scams’ financial and emotional pain.

GASA’s report surveyed 46,000 adults worldwide on their experiences with scams. The findings, outlined in the Global State of Scams 2025 Report, show that scams are a persistent global threat, with roughly half of adults impacted by one at some time.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into some of the report’s most impressive findings and how the data indicates that long-held perceptions of scams are shifting.

Key Takeaways

• 57% of adults worldwide have been scammed in the past year.
• A new profile of scam victims is emerging. They are younger, educated, have children, and low-GDP nations are being particularly targeted.
• The most common types of scams across the world include shopping scams (54%), investment scams (48%), and unexpected money scams (48%). 
• 64% of scams are over within a day, after the first point of contact with a scammer.
• Nearly three-quarters (74%) of scam victims report the scam. But responsibility, practical, and emotional barriers prevent other victims from coming forward.

1. Most Adults Have Experienced a Scam 

On a global scale, scams are becoming increasingly common. GASA’s research found that 57% of respondents were scammed in the past year. 

What does this mean? Put it this way. If you were to ask any adult worldwide if a scammer has ever contacted them, the odds they will say “yes” are slightly better than a coin flip.

This phenomenon impacts every worldwide region. GASA’s data shows that at least a simple majority of respondents have encountered a scam in the last 12 months in seven global markets. Scam activity is far more common in South America and Oceania, where 72% and 73% of residents, respectively, have experienced one. 

“If you were to ask any adult worldwide if a scammer has ever contacted them, the odds they will say ‘yes’ are slightly better than a coin flip.”—Robert Harris, Head of Product Marketing, Feedzai

2. A New Profile of Scam Victim Emerges

What images come to mind when you imagine a scam victim? Perhaps it’s someone older, less educated, or tech-savvy. 

GASA’s data reveals a new profile of scam victims. And it may fly in the face of many people’s preconceived ideas of what a scam victim looks like.

According to the report’s findings, 23% of scam victims who lose money are more likely to be:

• Younger: Gen Z and millennials are the most likely age demographic to lose money to scams at 27% and 26%, respectively. These groups are often more technologically adept than older generations, meaning a strong understanding of technology is not a guaranteed protector against scams.
• Educated: Roughly one quarter of global scam victims (26%) have a higher education degree. This means that scams should not be viewed as a problem that targets uneducated individuals. 
• Have children: Over a quarter (27%) of scam victims are parents. A possible explanation for this finding is that scammers may target victims with scams involving their children, such as legal trouble or medical emergencies.
• From a low-GDP country: Roughly one-third (30%) of respondents are from a lower-GDP region. This indicates that scams are more common among low-income individuals.

 

3. Differences in Scam Vulnerability & Financial Loss Across Demographics

Some key differences emerge in both the prevalence and financial impact of scams worldwide. While some markets are harder hit by losses than others.

Developing regions, notably South America and Africa, show both a high occurrence of scam attacks and resulting financial losses. Meanwhile, the Oceania region has a higher reported rate of scams but a lower rate of losses, possibly due to awareness campaigns in the area.

Certain types of scams are common across all regions, including:

• Shopping scams (54%): In these scams, victims pay for goods, products, or subscriptions that are never delivered. 
• Investment scams (48%): Scammers pressure targets to give them money for a rare financial opportunity that promises quick returns on investment. 
• Unexpected money scams (48%): Victims are coerced into sharing money or sensitive information to pay for made-up “fees” to claim a sum of prize, a lottery winning, or an inheritance.

Most Scams Happen in a Day

According to GASA’s findings, two-thirds of scams reported are over within a day, starting from the first point of contact with a scammer. This means the opportunity to stop scams before financial loss occurs is getting smaller.

Nearly half of respondents indicate that scams don’t even need a full day. South America has been especially hard-hit by the pace of scams. In Argentina and Brazil, more than half of respondents say their scams happened within minutes of their initial contact.

Across all major markets surveyed, this indicates that scams are growing faster. Four out of seven major markets reported a faster pace of scams.

The fast pace of scams indicates that scammers are using pressure and targeting their victims at an emotional level to force them to lower their guard. Social engineering fraud tactics such as being coerced to pay an unexpected fee, a hospital bill, or risk legal consequences were widely reported.

5. Scam Reporting Practices Vary Across Global Markets

The silver lining is that nearly three-quarters (74%) of scam victims report the incident. However, GASA’s research found several notable barriers to scam reporting emerge for some victims, indicating there is still work to be done.

Key barriers to reporting scams fall into two key categories: responsibility perceptions and practical reporting abilities. Nearly half (48%) of respondents said they thought it was not necessary to report the incident because it would be seen as their own responsibility to sort out. Meanwhile, 38% said the reporting process seemed complicated, confusing, or time-consuming, so they decided against it.

Emotional barriers are another key challenge for reporting scams. Many people were uncertain if they were really scammed, felt shame, worried no one would believe them, or were afraid to say so. 

Sadly, “victim-blaming” is still a factor for many who experience scams. Just over one-tenth (11%) of victims worldwide said they were blamed after a scam. This indicates that social attitudes about scams and supporting victims are lagging in some corners of the world.

What the GASA Global State of Scams Report Teaches Us About Staying Safe 

GASA and Feedzai’s research is not merely a data-heavy deep dive into scams and their impact on victims. The report makes it clear that the real threat of scams is not to people’s money or emotions. Scams threaten trust itself.

The report outlines 10 clear guidelines for banks, consumers, and other related organizations to follow to help protect people from the global scam scourge. This includes educating consumers through ongoing national campaigns and easily accessible support networks, enhancing telecom and tech provider infrastructure to prevent scams from reaching targets, and building cooperation with improved scam data-sharing, expanded liability for service providers, and increased coordinated global law enforcement efforts.

• Blog: Understanding Social Engineering Fraud: From Psychological Traps to AI‑Driven Fraud
• Report: Global State of Scams Report 2025
• Solution Guide: How Feedzai Closes the WhatsApp Scams Loophole
• Solution: Scam Detection & Prevention Solutions