New research shows that Americans are navigating more scams than anyone else in the world, reflecting a broader global shift toward what experts are calling a “trust nothing” era. The Ping Identity 2025 Consumer Survey[1], based on responses from more than 10,000 people across 11 countries, reveals how artificial intelligence is reshaping the fraud landscape and undermining confidence in digital security.
America Leads the World in Scam Exposure
The survey found that the average American encounters roughly 100 scam attempts every month… far higher than the global average. Each week, people in the United States receive about nine scam calls, nine fraudulent emails, and seven suspicious texts. That pace leaves Americans dealing with about 25 scam contacts per week.
By comparison, the United Kingdom averages 84 scam attempts per month, while Australians handle around 52. Singapore reports the lowest levels, with only 40. These figures suggest the United States now sits at the epicenter of global fraud activity, with both human deception and AI-generated manipulation increasing the risk.
Spam inboxes illustrate how bad the problem has become. Americans and Brits each have more than 350 unread messages flagged as spam, while Indonesians have fewer than 160.
The Daily Flood of Fraud
Scam messages arrive through almost every channel imaginable — phone calls, emails, texts, and social media platforms. People around the world now receive an average of five spam messages per week on their social media accounts, adding yet another layer to the problem.
When scam messages appear, most people act quickly: 53 percent delete them immediately, and 52 percent block the sender. However, a significant minority in India and the United Arab Emirates prefer to verify the sender’s address before taking any action, showing different regional habits in dealing with fraud.
Despite widespread caution, phone calls remain a key weak spot. Nearly half of Indians (46 percent) and more than a third of Brits (35 percent) admit they sometimes answer calls marked “potential spam.” In the U.S., 31 percent still do, despite knowing the risks.
Confidence Is Collapsing
The research paints a worrying picture of declining public confidence. Only 23 percent of global respondents said they feel very confident in recognizing a scam. Among Americans, that number aligns closely with the global average.
Trust in institutions and brands is also in decline. Just 17 percent of respondents worldwide said they fully trust organizations that manage their identity data. More than a quarter said they have little or no trust at all. Only 14 percent trust large global enterprises, while 20 percent favor regional or local brands.
France reported the lowest levels of trust, with just 8 percent of respondents expressing full confidence in data-handling organizations. The United Arab Emirates stood out as the most trusting country, with 37 percent saying they have full confidence in those who manage their identity data.
AI Intensifies Fraud and Fear
Artificial intelligence is reshaping not only the types of scams people face but also how they perceive digital safety. According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents now use AI in their daily lives (a sharp increase from 41 percent the previous year) and this familiarity has brought new anxieties.
About three-quarters of respondents said they are more concerned about their personal data than they were five years ago. Among their top fears are AI-driven phishing, voice cloning, and deepfake impersonations.
Thirty-nine percent listed AI-generated phishing as the most concerning emerging fraud type. Fake apps that imitate legitimate services followed closely at 38 percent. Deepfake video and audio attacks ranked third at 32 percent, while voice cloning scams came in at 31 percent. Nearly 30 percent cited synthetic identity fraud… where criminals combine real and fake data to create entirely new identities.
Different Fears in Different Places
The survey shows striking differences across countries. Australians expressed the greatest worry over how companies use and store personal data with AI systems, with 34 percent citing transparency concerns. In Singapore, nearly four in ten respondents were most afraid of deepfake impersonations and AI-generated voice cloning. Swedes, in contrast, were among the least concerned about AI impersonation, with just 14 percent mentioning it.
Across all regions, financial fraud remains the top fear at 46 percent, followed by personal data breaches at 25 percent. A quarter of respondents said storing passwords or payment details on social platforms made them feel especially vulnerable.
Password Fatigue and the Rise of Passkeys
Weak password habits continue to drive much of the risk. The average respondent uses 12 passwords for work and 17 for personal accounts, spreading their security thin. Forgetting or misplacing passwords (38 percent) happens more often than using multi-factor authentication (30 percent).
The study points to passkeys and biometric authentication as safer options. About 34 percent said fingerprint or facial recognition would make them feel more secure, while 33 percent favored multi-factor authentication. In Indonesia, preference for passkeys reached 44 percent, second only to biometric methods, which topped 60 percent.
A Reluctance to Stay Online
As digital risks rise, many people are willing to give up parts of their online lives to protect themselves. Globally, 40 percent said they would leave social media altogether rather than risk identity theft. One in three would stop online shopping, and more than a quarter would quit online banking.
In Australia, 26 percent said they would abandon streaming services to stay safe. Meanwhile, 22 percent of Germans would stop using travel planning apps, while 36 percent of Dutch respondents said they would give up nothing — reflecting lower overall anxiety levels in the Netherlands.
The Demand for Regulation
Three-quarters of respondents said they believe governments should regulate AI to protect personal identity data. Support for regulation is strongest in Indonesia (74 percent) and lowest in Sweden (31 percent). Yet fewer than half of people worldwide believe they are sufficiently informed or protected by government or online safety organizations.
This gap between public expectation and institutional response underscores how much uncertainty surrounds AI and digital identity. Even as people expect stronger protections, they remain skeptical about whether governments or corporations can provide them.
Toward a Fragile Future of Trust
Behind the statistics lies a clear global mood: anxiety, exhaustion, and distrust. Consumers are navigating an online world that feels increasingly unsafe, with AI transforming not only how scams are created but how believable they appear.
Yet the research also shows signs of resilience. While full trust is rare, 61 percent of respondents said they have at least some level of trust in organizations managing their data… a sign that improvement is possible. Biometric logins, passkeys, and transparent data policies could help rebuild this fragile confidence.
For Americans, however, the path forward looks steep. Facing nearly twice as many scams as people in most other countries, they are living at the forefront of the global fraud problem. With AI accelerating deception and trust in free fall, the question now is not just how to stop the scams… but how to restore faith in the digital world itself.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
Read next: Under Pressure, Even Trained Users Miss the Signs of Phishing[2]
References
- ^ Ping Identity 2025 Consumer Survey (www.pingidentity.com)
- ^ Under Pressure, Even Trained Users Miss the Signs of Phishing (www.digitalinformationworld.com)