2024 is the year of online scams, finds latest annual F‑Secured Consumer Threats Guide

F‑Secure, a global leader in simplifying cyber security, is pleased to announce the release of its highly anticipated 2024 F‑Secured Annual Threats Guide. This comprehensive report sheds light on the evolving landscape of cyber security threats faced by consumers, offering insights into emerging trends and predictions for the year ahead. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in 2023 suggests a future where digital technology becomes increasingly intelligent, powerful, and personalized. Cyber criminals have historically exploited any advantage available to them for financial gain, and AI is poised to be no exception in fueling the credibility and volume of consumer-focused scams.

"Scams pose a unique threat to our online lives, employing manipulation tactics that appeal to our emotional sides with the readily available technology to deliver them,” said Laura Kankaala, Threat Intelligence Lead at F‑Secure. “In 2024, this trend will only continue, with a rise in scams targeting specific groups of people. We have already witnessed how AI can be leveraged for nefarious purposes, and in 2024, we will see the true impact of AI and available tools on the effectiveness of scams.”

• Scams are on the rise: The Global Anti Scam Alliance (GASA) found that 78% of people experienced at least one scam in the last year, with losses from scams totaling 1.05% of the global GDP. While phishing scams have been a staple of cyber crime for decades, attacks that use psychological trickery to steal data, commit fraud, or install malware have become the most common threat consumers face.  

• Scammers are shopping for victims: 6 in 10 of us avoid shopping with small online retailers and feel safer buying from big brands. But we’ve found that leading, mid-market brands may be most appealing to cyber criminals, who mimic them to collect credit card numbers and banking information from unsuspecting consumers.  

• AI is driving cyber crime: The biggest impact AI has had on cyber crime in 2023 is as bait. ChatGPT has quickly become a top lure for malware, with malicious downloads often posing as legitimate apps. While there is growing evidence that scammers are using generative AI to improve what they do, machine intelligence will likely power increasingly advanced threats. WormGPT and FraudGPT — AI apps that make it easy to generate fraudulent content and aid malicious actors in developing malware — are already available for use. 

• Infostealers are fueling ID theft: Information stealers have emerged as the most common form of malware, making up 89% of the top Windows threats in 2023. This phenomenon has resulted in an avalanche of personal data appearing on the dark web. This personally identifiable information sells for as little as $1 for 100 accounts, feeding a deluge of scams that can escalate to fraud and even identity theft. 

• Trends and predictions for 2024: With a dedicated team of researchers, analysts, and threat hunters working behind the scenes, F‑Secure operates at the leading edge of consumer cyber security. In this guide, we have spoken to some of the company’s brightest minds, highlighting their trends and predictions for 2024.