NEW YORK — Please, just make it stop — a survey is revealing just how sick and tired Americans are of scam calls and scummy digital criminals. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the most common types of fraud seen by Americans are scam emails (48%), phone calls (47%), and suspicious texts (44%).
Nearly half (49%) said they felt there has been a rise in fraudulent activity in the past 12 months. Fifteen percent admit they would likely ignore messages they thought were fraudulent and wouldn’t bother reporting them to the police. Another 64 percent said they wouldn’t know how to report it or who to give the information to if they were a victim of fraud.
According to the survey conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by software company Medius, more than seven in 10 (72%) think there is a lack of understanding about what exactly a white-collar crime entails. Similarly, 71 percent believe if they were to report an instance of white-collar crime to the police or relevant body, nothing would be done about it.
“The judicial system isn’t set up to deal with fraud, and for businesses, there is huge amounts of money at stake,” says a spokesperson for Medius. “The best way to tackle white-collar crime is through prevention. For business owners, ensuring staff are trained up to spot fraudulent activity can be worth its weight in gold, and save huge headaches.”
Of those who have been targeted by scams, 51 percent have been asked to make a payment, and 57 percent were asked about their bank details. Another 47 percent were asked to pay an invoice or bill, while nearly one in five (19%) were asked to divulge sensitive company information.
The study found people who use emails or messaging at work are more likely to simply delete the email than report it as spam (42% vs. 36%).
The results also showed a huge 81 percent of adults would like to see more white-collar criminals held accountable for their crimes. And 27 percent would like to see sentences “much longer” than what they normally are. Nearly half (48%) also worry about the increased use of artificial intelligence.
“AI is having an impact on almost all areas of life, and we’re really only at the beginning of what those issues could be,” adds Medius’ spokesperson. “From the entertainment industry to journalism to the justice system, everyone is scrambling to keep up. AI could be a hugely powerful tool for criminals, so it’s important workplaces stay on top of the latest developments and make sure staff are up to date as well.”
“71 percent believe if they were to report an instance of white-collar crime to the police or relevant body, nothing would be done about it.”
Where in the name of all that is holy, did they find 29% who think that the ‘police or relevant body’ would actually do something about it?