Scammers cost Irish adults €760 million last year, according to a new study by IT security group Ekco.
Almost everyone in the country (96 per cent) was targeted by scammers, with most experiencing five attacks each month, or 63 across the whole year.
Eighty per cent of respondents to a survey carried out for Ekco said they were confident they would be able to identify a phishing text of email.
However, more than one in five (22 per cent) fell for at least one attempt by the scammers with just under one in seven falling victim two or more times over the year. The average loss for those who were tricked out of money was €890, the IT security specialists said.
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Assuming the survey responses are representative of the wider populations, Ekco said the losses amounted to €760 million in 2025.
The survey found that the most common scam was a customs charge payment request, with 48 per cent of people saying they received one last year.
The incidence of customs charge scams is only likely to increase with the introduction in July of new EU charges on packages coming into Ireland other states from outside the EU with goods valued at less than €150. Handling fees that are due to be introduced across the EU in November are only likely to exacerbate the problem.
According to official estimates, about six billion packages with a value of less than €150 came into EU states from outside the European Union last year. That’s about 16 million every day or 200 a second, meaning that almost all EU adults could expect to find themselves targeted by such scams.
Aside from customs charge scams, the most common scams reported in requests to verify payment details (37 per cent) and requests to pay a toll charge (27 per cent).
The fear of being duped has left 41 per cent of adults feeling stressed about the need for vigilance, the survey reported.
But that doesn’t mean there is universal sympathy for victims with a quarter of respondents saying those taken in are naïve or careless, a figure that rises closer to one-third among 18-24-year-olds.
“The reason so many of us are fielding scam attempts month in, month out, is because cybercriminals know they work,” said Conor Scolard, Director of Cyber Resilience, Ekco, said. “And, while most people believe they can spot a scam attempt a mile off, the reality is that they are getting more sophisticated to the point where many are falling victim to scams multiple times per year.
“Doubling down on cyber defences, while also educating consumers about clicking on links, or providing payment information and PINs over the phone, can make a significant difference.”
