A simple message received on the phone can be enough for a person to lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars in just a few minutes. A global study shows that messaging app scams have become one of the fastest and most effective methods of fraud, with over half of victims transferring money or providing personal data in less than 30 minutes. WhatsApp, SMS and Facebook are the main channels used by criminals, and the average loss reported worldwide reaches $733 per case.
WhatsApp and SMS scams, the “speed crime” of the moment. Photo by Shutterstock
Messaging apps have become part of the daily routine for billions of people. From conversations with family and friends to business communication and delivery notifications, they have come to focus much of online activity. It is this familiarity that has also turned them into one of the most profitable tools for cybercriminals.
According to the study, most fraud starts on the platforms that users use every day. WhatsApp is involved in 43% of cases, followed by SMS and iMessage with 40% and Facebook with 27%.
Victims are fooled in just a few minutes
What sets these frauds apart from traditional methods is the speed at which they are carried out. Study data shows that 52% of victims sent money or provided personal information within 30 minutes of first contact with the scammers.
Moreover, one in seven people, or 14% of respondents, made this decision in less than five minutes.
To avoid suspicion and create the impression of a genuine conversation, criminals often move the dialogue from one platform to another. Almost two-thirds of the analyzed frauds, 63% to be exact, took place on multiple communication channels, with conversations being transferred from SMS to WhatsApp or from WhatsApp to Telegram.
This technique helps build the victim's trust and makes the entire interaction seem natural and legitimate.
How scammers manage to convince victims
According to Dr Elisabeth Carter, a criminologist and specialist in forensic linguistics at Kingston University London, the success of these scams is not based on the victims' lack of intelligence or experience, but on how the messages are constructed.
“Scammers use familiar contexts, familiar social situations, and well-integrated linguistic norms to make people believe their decisions are rational and justified at the time. In reality, they construct a false reality in which those decisions lead to financial and psychological harm.”explains the specialist.
According to her, it is extremely difficult for a person directly involved in such a conversation to notice the warning signs, which is why she recommends checking the information with family members or friends before making payments or transmitting sensitive data.
Financial losses often exceed a month's expenses
The consequences of these frauds are significant. More than half of the victims, 51%, said they lost money, while 43% reported the theft of personal information such as phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses or credentials.
Globally, the average reported loss is $733 per fraud.
In the context of the rising cost of living, such an amount can represent the equivalent of a month's food expenses, utility bills, transportation costs or other essential expenses for a family.
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Although 36% of victims lost less than $135, there are far worse cases. According to the study, 11% of defrauded individuals reported losses of more than $1,350, a considerable financial impact for most households.
Artificial intelligence is a game changer
If in the past online scams could be recognized relatively easily through mistakes in expression or carelessly worded messages, the development of artificial intelligence has radically changed the situation.
Two-thirds of the interviewed victims, namely 66%, believe that AI-based technologies have been used in fraud attempts. These are automatically generated messages, synthetic or cloned voices and deepfake images or videos.
By imitating writing style, tone of voice and even personal relationships, criminals are able to create messages that are credible enough to overcome users' initial suspicions.
Thus, frauds no longer only target those less familiar with technology. The study shows that victims come from all age groups, from members of Generation Z to Generation X, demonstrating that the digital experience is no longer a guarantee against increasingly sophisticated attacks.
The emotional effects linger for months
The impact of fraud is not limited to the loss of money or personal data. Research shows that the psychological effects can continue long after the incident.
Immediately after realizing they had been cheated, the most common reactions reported by victims were anger, reported by 54% of respondents, frustration, indicated by 42%, and annoyance, reported by 38%.
Months after the incident, nearly half of victims still feel angry, and about a third say they still feel frustration and anger.
Specialists warn that these effects contribute to the emergence of a true crisis of confidence in digital communication, at a time when more and more personal and professional interactions take place exclusively online.
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How users can protect themselves
Cybersecurity experts recommend first of all to avoid impulsive reactions to messages that ask for urgent payments, money transfers or the provision of personal data.
Verifying the identity of the person transmitting the message through an independent channel, such as a phone call or direct chat, remains one of the most effective methods of protection.
“This new wave of messaging app fraud is designed to be indistinguishable from regular communication. Artificial intelligence is accelerating this trend, helping scammers convincingly mimic brands, familiar voices and personal relationships at scale“, warns Marc Rivero, a researcher in Kaspersky's Global Research & Analysis Team.
According to the specialist, simple awareness of the risks is no longer enough. In the face of frauds that exploit the urgency and emotions of the victims, the most effective defense remains the careful verification of information and the avoidance of decisions made under pressure.
In an age where a single message can cause losses of hundreds or thousands of dollars in just a few minutes, caution has become one of the most important digital security measures.
