AI-powered WhatsApp fraud: average damage of $609 per victim in Greece
Kaspersky research reveals that 43% of message-based fraud is completed in under 30 minutes, with an average loss of $609 per victim in Greece.
AI-enabled fraudster networks strike via WhatsApp — average damage of $609 in Greece
A global network of fraudsters exploits everyday messaging platforms to extract money and personal data within minutes, using artificial intelligence to impersonate relatives, friends and well-known companies. According to news247.gr, new research by Kaspersky based on victim testimonies from around the world documents the scale and speed of this phenomenon.
Data from users in Greece show that a single apparently trustworthy message can result in an average loss of $609 per victim. 43% of fraud cases are completed within half an hour, while in many instances users send money or disclose information before they have a chance to question the authenticity of the message.
Which platforms are used most frequently
In Greece, 39% of fraud is carried out via SMS and iMessage, 32% via WhatsApp and 30% via Facebook. Fraudsters rarely confine themselves to a single channel: 63% of cases extend across multiple platforms, moving the conversation from SMS to WhatsApp or from WhatsApp to Telegram. This tactic mimics the style of everyday conversations, making detection difficult.
Speed is the key
More than half of victims (52%) handed over money or personal information within half an hour of receiving the message. Nearly one in seven (14%) fell victim in less than five minutes — less time than a quick shower takes.
Dr Elisabeth Carter, criminologist and forensic linguistics specialist at Kingston University in London, explains: "Fraudsters use familiar communication frameworks, familiar social environments and established linguistic conventions, so that victims feel at the critical moment that their decisions are logical and justified." Carter adds: "It is extraordinarily difficult to recognise a fabricated reality while you are inside it. Maintain contact with friends and relatives and talk to them about your online activities, because often an outside observer can more easily perceive that something is wrong."
Financial and personal losses
More than half of participants who fell victim (51%) lost money, while 43% disclosed personal information to the perpetrators. In Greece, the data that leaked concerned names (21%), account credentials (21%) and email access codes.
The average loss of $609 per fraud case is equivalent, in conditions of a cost-of-living crisis, to a month's supermarket shopping or utility bills. 36% of victims reported losses under $135, however 23% lost over $1,350 — a particularly serious financial blow for most households.
Repeat victims and new generations
Fraud is rarely an isolated incident. More than a quarter of victims (28%) reported falling victim three or more times within the last six months, suggesting that perpetrators return to the same individuals when they find they can catch them unawares again.
Victims do not come exclusively from elderly or less technology-savvy users. Data show that Gen Z and Gen X are also targeted, which suggests that digital experience alone is not sufficient for protection when messages appear familiar and trustworthy.
The role of artificial intelligence
38% of victims believe the message they received was written with the aid of AI, whilst 69% estimate that the perpetrators used artificial voices or deepfake images. By replicating writing style, tone of voice and personal relationships, fraudsters bypass the victim's initial suspicion regardless of their level of digital familiarity. The days of poorly written messages with obvious warning signs have passed.
Source: Google News CY — Crime (el)