'There is no shame' - Irish men scammed more than women amid serious warning

Wise, the international money app, revealed that Irish men have reported losing more money from scams (€2,168.73) compared to women (€1,151.22).

Irish men are also less likely to admit to their family members that they have been scammed, potentially limiting the support and advice they receive.

This comes as the Irish government has proposed new legislation, recommending measures such as the publication of a National Economic Crime Strategy and development of a shared fraud database, to tackle the dramatic increase in scams.

It reveals that the majority of Irish people (77%) believe scam attempts increased significantly last year, with almost half of consumers (45%) targeted in the last three months of 2024 alone.

Scams are also getting harder to identify.

Eighty-two percent of Irish people think scams have become more sophisticated, and while almost three in five feel well-informed about new types of scams, most are concerned for vulnerable family or friends.

The new study shows that phone calls, text messages, and emails are the most common channels used by scammers, and indicates that their tactics change depending on their target.

39% of 16-24 year olds received scam text messages, which is disproportionately more than any other age group

In an effort to address this growing threat, nearly half of Irish people believe that scam awareness should become a core part of the school curriculum.

Furthermore, an overwhelming 98% agree that children should be taught some form of scam awareness from an early age.

Additionally, the report highlights a widespread lack of awareness, with 54% of Irish people unsure of where to seek assistance if they fall victim to a scam.

This combination of overconfidence, reluctance to share experiences, and limited knowledge of support resources exacerbates the impact of sophisticated scams on the population.

“Education and awareness are key to combatting financial crime,” said James Clements, Wise’s scams and financial fraud expert. “There is no shame in being a victim of financial crime and we would encourage anyone affected by a scam to report it to their financial provider. At Wise, helping customers to protect themselves moving forward is a top priority and we are continually investing heavily in scam prevention.

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“There are also convenient steps that consumers can take to protect themselves. Although three in four Irish people regularly check their financial statements for fraudulent behaviour, only a quarter (24%) have set up fraud alerts with their financial provider or credit card company, and just one in 10 (11%) have registered with identity theft monitoring services.”

"It's important for people to remain vigilant of scam attempts, especially when looking for the best deals. Our research shows most consumers find January more financially stressful than other months. Consumers can’t be blamed for looking out for a bargain buy or a cheap holiday abroad as a pick-me-up. However, this can make them more vulnerable to fraudsters. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is, so it’s important to look out for common red flags and to take effective preventative measures," explains Clements.