Poles increasingly often come across content created by artificial intelligence on the Internet, which pretends to be real advertisements, information or entries of famous people. A new Visa study shows that people who cannot distinguish such fake content from real content are more than four times more likely to fall victim to fraud. On average, they lose several hundred zlotys, and on a national scale it is already billions of zlotys a year.
According to a Visa study, Polish social media users who confuse AI-generated content with authentic content are more than four times more likely to be scammed than those who can tell them apart – 63%. compared to 14 percent This shows that the ability to look critically at what we see on the Internet is becoming one of the key financial “safeties”.
The problem does not end with individual cases. Visa estimates that the average victim of online fraud in Poland loses over PLN 615 in one incident. On an annual basis, this means a cost for the economy of approximately PLN 1.6 billion. This is money that, instead of going to legal circulation, goes into the pockets of cybercriminals.
Losses counted in dollars, time and stress
Money is only part of the problem. Almost half of respondents (44%) admit that after experiencing fraud they feel more anxiety and stress, as well as a decrease in productivity. More than two fifths of the victims had to spend more than 24 hours explaining the case, contacting banks and institutions, and organizing their finances.
For many people, this experience also means losing confidence in online shopping. Over 30 percent Poles who have fallen victim to online fraud are now hesitant to make further online transactions. This, in turn, affects e-commerce, especially small and medium-sized companies that largely make their living from online sales.
Headlines instead of content – everyday habits favor fraudsters
Visa points out that our everyday habits are also important. Every third Pole admitted that they rarely read anything more than the headline before forming an opinion. Almost a quarter have shared a post on social media at some point without checking whether the information contained therein is true.
Fraudsters take advantage of this rush and inattention. False advertisements, prepared “statements” of famous people, realistic videos and graphics generated by AI, impersonating well-known brands – these are today's standard set of online criminals' tools. The less time we spend on verification, the easier it is to fall for the “opportunity of a lifetime” or an alarming message about an alleged threat to our money.
AI on both sides of the barricade
The paradox is that artificial intelligence is used by both fraudsters and financial institutions. Visa emphasizes that AI-based technologies have been one of the pillars of payment security systems for years. The company has been using them for over 30 years, and in the last five years alone it has invested USD 12 billion in the development of technological solutions, including systems that detect suspicious behavior in real time.
The goal is to catch suspicious transactions before the customer even notices that someone tried to get to his money. Visa is working with banks, retailers and digital platforms to rebuild trust in online payments and raise consumer protection standards.
How not to fall for AI fakes
Although advanced security tools work in the background, the study results show that users cannot do without basic caution. Visa reminds us of a few simple rules that can reduce the risk: it is worth questioning the credibility of “too beautiful” offers, not acting under time pressure, verifying the sender of the money request, taking care of the security settings of online accounts and using only safe payment methods.
In practice, it comes down to a few habits: reading content beyond the headline, checking the source of information, not providing banking details in instant messaging or social media, and reporting suspicious ads and posts to platforms and banks. These are relatively simple steps that – according to the study – may determine whether we find ourselves in the 14 percent group. more aware users, or among 63 percent people at higher risk of losing money.
