Surveys: young Poles are the most frequent victims of online scams

The widespread belief that cybercriminals mainly target older people does not stand up to new data from Poland. The findings were described on 4 November 2026 by the Polish site Spider's Web, citing several surveys.

Results of the "Scam Barometer"

The "Barometr Scammingu" (Scam Barometer) survey is run by "Puls Biznesu" and Bankier.pl. It found that more than 80% of Poles had come across a scam attempt in the past year. About 30% even started following the criminals' instructions, and 16% lost money.

The authors of the report write of a "paradox of vulnerability and confidence" among the young generation. People aged up to 29 say they know more about the risks, yet they are the most frequent victims. According to the authors, the cause is a lack of resistance to social engineering and a lack of practical skills to prevent scams.

The data also show that:

• 40% of people aged up to 29 "at least sometimes" give in to pressure from people who sound confident and professional,
• 59% sometimes believe people they have not met before,
• 42% act quickly when they see slogans such as "offer today only".

The authors also point out that young Poles spend money impulsively more often than the general population, which raises the risk. According to Spider's Web, more than half of young people cannot verify whether they are talking to a genuine bank employee, or whether an offer is genuine.

Impersonation of public institutions

A report titled "How cybercriminals impersonate public institutions", published in summer 2026, paints a similar picture. 17% of people aged 25–34 reported a financial loss in such a scam, the highest share of any age group. In the 18–24 group it was 14%.

43% of young adults noted an attempt to impersonate a public institution (by message or phone call). Among people over 65 the figure was about 17%, or 2.6 times lower. At the same time, 66% of people aged 18–24 thought that seniors were the most frequent victims.

Bartłomiej Drozd, an expert at ChronPESEL.pl, said this was a dangerous mechanism: anyone who thinks scams are mainly a problem for older people finds it easier to assume they are not at risk themselves.

Earlier data and what lies ahead

Spider's Web also recalls a 2024 Revolut survey. It found that in 2023 members of Generation Z were the most frequent targets of scammers, more often than millennials. However, younger people lost smaller sums on average.

The author of the article notes that, according to the "Scam Barometer", victims of scams do not significantly change their behaviour in more than half of cases. This may mean that early mistakes will be repeated.

What this means for you

The surveys cited concern Poland and Polish respondents, so it is not known whether the same proportions apply in the UK. However, they highlight mechanisms typical of scams everywhere: time pressure, impersonation of a bank or public body, and a confident-sounding caller. The findings suggest it is worth staying alert regardless of age and familiarity with technology.