Survey finds 54% of people experience anxiety and stress after being scammed
BOSTON, October 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Aura, the leader in smart safety for consumers, today launched the Aura Online Scams and Mental Health Impact Survey in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Day. The nationwide survey, conducted in conjunction with Ipsosthe third largest information and analytics company in the world, aims to uncover the impact of identity theft, fraud and the “scam economy” on people’s mental health, ranging from increased anxiety and stress to loss of concentration.
Surveying more than 1,000 Americans age 18 and older from multiple geographies and backgrounds, the survey not only sheds light on the alarming prevalence of this problem nationally and across generations, but also the compounding effect of online scams on the life and the lives of the victims. the lives of their partners and families. In fact, of those surveyed, 2 in 5 people say they are targeted by scammers at least once a week. Key ideas include:
- 54% of people experience moderate to extreme feelings of anxiety or stress after a scam incident.
- 64% of those with income below $50,000 per year reporting moderate to extremely high stress after a scam incident
- 1 in 5 of those who have been victims of an online scam say they had trouble concentrating after the incident (23%) or experienced financial problems (20%)
- 42% of parents who have been victims of a scam are worried that their children will also be victims
- 23% of those scammed had a child who was also scammed
“We live in a world where everyone is constantly connected and all of our personal information, from banking to medical records, is digitized,” said Aura founder and CEO Hari Ravichandran. “Our personal information has never been more at risk, which means our savings have never been more accessible. And cybercriminals know it, which motivates them to attack people from all walks of life with every click. These new Data illustrates the damaging ripple effect that scams affect everyone from Gen Z to Boomers.”
The Aura report double-clicks on the impact of online crimes on the mental health of specific demographic cohorts:
- Scammers consistently target adults over 50: Nearly 1 in 2 people ages 50 to 64 are targeted once a week. People ages 50 to 64 are most likely to have fallen victim to a scam (48%), specifically by entering their email and password on a site they discovered to be a scam (22%).
- But, the targets are getting younger: 1 in 4 18-34 year olds are targeted by scammers once a week
- Stress is higher in younger millennials: People ages 25 to 34 are more likely to report moderate to extremely high stress after a scam than people ages 35 to 49.
The Aura Online Scams and Mental Health Impact Survey is part of Aura’s broader mission and unwavering dedication to creating a safer internet for all with its digital safety app. Aura’s one-of-a-kind subscription service brings together security, privacy, and parental controls in one smart platform that can be used across all devices, and comes with 100% US-based customer support and glove product installation white that is available 24 hours a day. 7. All Aura subscription plans are backed with $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance for consumer peace of mind.
More details on the survey and methodology are available for download here. For additional resources and information on the prevalence of online crime and how consumers can implement comprehensive online protection with Aura’s digital safety app, please visit aura.com.
About Aurora
Aura, the leader in smart security solutions, provides all-in-one digital protection for consumers. We understand that each individual’s online security needs are unique and require a customized solution. By bringing security, privacy, and parental controls together on one intelligent platform, Aura makes proactive, adaptive digital security accessible to everyone. Visit aura.com.
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