Young adults under 34 more susceptible to online scams than people over 55

A new study conducted by the research firm Verian, on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and Security, shows that adults under 34 fall victim to online scams more easily than older age groups. Interestingly, this younger group is also the most convinced that they can recognize digital fraud, despite evidence to the contrary.

Participants were presented with various types of messages: an email, a text, a WhatsApp message, a website, and a video. Half received authentic examples, while the other half saw versions that included subtle signs of manipulation. One of the test cases involved a short video of illusionist Victor Mids paired with a deepfake copy.

Younger adults proved the most trusting: participants under 34 were the most likely to rate the five scam examples as legitimate, with those under 55 close behind. People over 55 were the least convinced by the fabricated messages. The research also found that the youngest group was more inclined to click on fraudulent links compared with older respondents.

According to the study, half of the Dutch population believes they are skilled at spotting online scams, but 42 percent rate their abilities higher than they actually are.

In reality, nine in ten people fail to identify digital deception every time, and only a small minority, 6 percent, can reliably distinguish genuine content from fake. The findings also show that nearly a third of Dutch citizens worry about being scammed online, a concern the ministry hopes to highlight with this research.

Almost three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) expect that advances in technology, including artificial intelligence, will make spotting online scams progressively harder in the years ahead.

Commentary included with the study, such as insights from ethical hacker Yusuf Onay, notes that many young people assume they know all there is to know about technology, yet have little understanding of what happens behind the apps and systems they use daily. That limited insight means they often miss security weaknesses, even when they feel confident in their own technical abilities.

Young people also spend more time on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok, where deceptive ads and promotions, often offering things that seem “too good to be true,” are widespread. Onay notes that this constant exposure makes such misleading content appear more “normal” to them, increasing the chances that they’ll be taken in by it.