NordVPN Survey: Americans Are Most Concerned About the Wrong Part of Cybercrime

Many people do their best to protect themselves from cybercrime by prioritizing cybersecurity on their laptops, smartphones, and other devices. But the real danger may be that your personal data is stolen through other means.

A survey commissioned by cybersecurity firm NordVPN, released on Friday, found that cybercriminals are changing their login method, and that many of us are ignoring the signs. Although attackers used to mainly target devices — such as injecting malicious files into a computer — the focus is now on manipulating people through scam calls, phishing messages that mimic popular companies, and fake login pages to steal passwords.

In a survey of 1,200 Americans, NordVPN found that 91% of people are concerned about cybersecurity scams. About 56% are more concerned about broader threats, such as identity theft or fraud, than about scam calls, which they are more likely to encounter regularly. On a daily basis, 46% of people say they experience scam calls, and 17% say they personally deal with identity theft and fraud.

“People think of cybercrime as stolen accounts or depleted bank balances, but criminals succeed very early in the process,” Marius Bridis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, said in a statement. “The true moment of attack is when someone feels rushed, afraid, or pressured to trust too quickly. From there, it only takes a few clicks to go from phone call to stolen identity.”

In other words, many people are not aware of the major risks that come with scam calls or phishing emails. “It’s the starting point for the types of identity theft and financial fraud that people are afraid of,” Bridis said.

Fraud calls have increased significantly in the past year, but there are ways to combat it. One way is to use iOS call screening feature on iPhone and ignore incoming calls from unknown numbers.

NordVPN recommends several steps you can take to protect yourself from cybercrime. If you encounter a suspicious text, email, or call, pause before taking any type of action. According to NordVPN, scammers like to rush you and messages that appear urgent should be considered suspicious.

“Modern attacks rely on people reacting faster than they think,” Bridis said.

Other steps you can take include:

• Verify the information before responding
• Make sure links and addresses are legitimate before clicking on them.
• Enable multi-factor notifications whenever possible and use strong passwords.
• Accept downloads from trusted sources only.
• Download security software that can handle multiple cyber threats at once.

A NordVPN representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.