Cybercriminals continue to deceive Gen Z, despite being considered the most tech-savvy age group, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The AFP warned that Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) have a higher risk of cyber scams due to their extensive online presence. Despite being considered the most tech-savvy age group, AFP Cybercrime Acting Commander Grace Calma said that Gen Z continue to be deceived by cybercriminals. She said that young people often get tricked into downloading malware disguised as links in emails or pop-ups offering free music, games, or video downloads. Therefore, she advised Gen Z to be cautious about online shopping scams during the festive season.
Younger Australians are more likely to fall victim to scams, fraud, attacks, and identity crime than older age groups, as reported by the Australian Federal Police. Almost 31 percent of people aged 18-24 fell victim to a malware attack in the last 12 months, the Australian Institute of Criminology’s (AIC) Cybercrime in Australia 2023 report found. People aged 25-34, at 24.4 percent, were the second-highest group to fall victim. In contrast, those aged 65 years and older (20.3 percent) and 50-64 years (18.5 percent) had the lowest likelihood of falling to scams.
Businesses are cautioned against relying solely on younger employees, particularly Gen Z, to handle their technology and social media. A survey of 2,100 business owners and employees found that Gen Z employees showed less awareness and competence in cybersecurity compared to their older counterparts, despite growing up in a digital age. The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia Chairman Matthew Addison cautioned small business owners against assuming that younger individuals are automatically the most secure regarding online activities.
Cyber Security Expert Asha Rao argued that young people are particularly vulnerable to online employment scams due to the current cost-of-living crisis. Financial loss to employment scams have increased by 259.4 percent to $9.6 million (US$5.9 million) in 2022. The average loss was $14,963. Ms. Rao added that younger people were more likely to dip their toes into new, foreign technology riddled with scams, such as cryptocurrency investments and payments which are still highly unregulated by governments.
Cybersecurity Manager Arathi Arakala noted that Gen Z and Millennials are more risk-tolerant, curious to learn new things and open to unconventional ideas—all traits that can expose them to deceptive practices. Cybersecurity Lecturer Dr. Abebe Diro said the culture of today’s gratification promoted by many online platforms also makes young people more vulnerable to scams promising immediate rewards. He explained that this “deep-seated comfort” causes youth to be confident and overlook potential threats, and acknowledged that internet scammers are skilled and knowledgeable, consistently improving their tactics to target psychological vulnerabilities in young people.