During the festive season, nearly 54% of consumers in India have been the victim of “too good to be true” scams, while 43% have admitted having jumped onto such deals as soon as they see it, a new report revealed today. 

According to a computer security software company, about 23% indicated that they will provide their credit card/bank details to unknown merchants if they’re selling something they want at a good price.

Of these victims, 65% said they have lost money as a result, with 81% of them losing up to ₹40,000.

“Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the rush for deals, and the hustle and bustle of life, and using AI to create fake sites, phishing emails, and tricky text messages, hoping you’ll take the bait and click on something unsafe,” said the  senior vice president at the company.

The report surveyed more than 7,000 adults across seven countries, including India, to gain perspective on different facets of consumer online buying behaviour.

Threat of cybercrime

Moreover, the report also sheds light on consumer online shopping behaviour patterns. The findings revealed that Indians are shopping at their convenience, anywhere around the clock.

For instance, 59% of Indians admitted to making an online purchase in bed late at night when they really should be asleep. About 37% have shopped during work hours, 28% during dinner, and even 10% while in the toilet.

About 95% of Indians believe that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by cybercriminals will have an impact on the amount and types of online scams, making scams more convincing and deceptive.

Nearly 34% find it difficult to tell what’s a real message versus a fake one, from a retailer or delivery service.

Due to this, 75% of Indian consumers aim to up their guard and stay alert against deceptive messages due to the surge in AI scams, the report noted.

(Source: IANS)

- Edited for style

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