Privacy Tip #516 – Literally Everyone In the U.S. is Being Attacked by Cybercriminals

Consumer Reports (CR), Aspen Digital, and the Global Cyber Alliance recently released the fifth annual Consumer Cyber Readiness Report for Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The report explores how American consumers perceive and manage digital security and offers new insights into the rise of digital scams and fraud. A CR survey of 4,682 U.S. adults conducted in March and April 2026 found that 9 in 10 American consumers had encountered at least one digital scam or attempted cyberattack. Of those who were victims, 17% percent lost money to scams: 10% permanently and 7% temporarily, with money recovered in some cases. A separate CR survey of 2,082 U.S. adults in May 2026 found a sharp decline in confidence in personal data privacy. Only 32% were at least somewhat confident that information such as their Social Security number, health history, and financial details remained private, compared with 48% in a nationally representative survey of 2,333 U.S. adults in May 2025. Those who were “not confident at all” nearly doubled, from 16% to 29%. CR noted that AI is making cyber fraud faster, cheaper, and more personalized. The survey showed that one in five consumers who had encountered a scam attempt (20%) reported that the most recent scam attempt they encountered was customized using their personal details. Phone calls were the most common technique used, with a third of those surveyed saying their most recent scam attempt began with a phone call and was personalized to them. Vishing continues to be a real threat to both individuals and businesses. (insert previous blog articles about vishing here). When 9 out of 10 Americans have been the target of cyber fraud, a third are related to a social engineering attack, and AI is used to accelerate and personalize the attacks, it is imperative that individuals are aware of the threat and protect themselves against it. Here are some solid tips to protect yourself from a targeted cyber-attack through the use of vishing techniques: https://blog.defend-id.com/2026/05/27/vishing-attacks/