More than half of mobile subscribers reported losing money to phone scam calls in a recent survey on the prevalence of the problem, with young people the most likely to fall for scams. Branded communications provider First Orion surveyed 2,100 mobile subscribers about their experiences with scam calls and found that 53% of respondents said they had received more scam calls in 2022 than in 2021. Based on measured proprietary scam call data, the company estimates that U.S. mobile subscribers received more than 100 billion scam calls during the first six months of 2022.
First Orion also asked whether respondents had ever lost money to scam calls. Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported losing money to a scam at some point in their lives. Sixty-two percent of respondents ages 18-34 reported a financial loss compared to 54% ages 35-54 and 45% older than 55. Nearly two in five respondents reported losing more than $250 to scammers.
Financial services—banks, credit unions and financial advisers—were fifth on the list of most spoofed industries. Insurance spoofs topped the list, followed by government, warranty and health care. Two in five respondents were targeted for financial-related scam calls, making the category the most-reported scam.
