Malwarebytes Reveals 44% Face Mobile Scams Every Day
Mobile scams will shift from a sporadic threat to a daily reality in 2025, according to new research from cybersecurity provider Malwarebytes.
The report “Tap, Swipe, Scam: How Everyday Mobile Habits Carry Real Risk” presents alarming insights for the telecommunications sector, which sits on the front line of user trust and digital safety.
Based on an extensive global survey of 1,300 mobile users conducted in March 2025, the findings reveal that mobile threats are no longer just technical vulnerabilities; they are deeply personal, emotionally damaging and significantly underreported.
The implications for telecom operators, infrastructure providers and mobile service firms are clear: action must extend beyond network security and into user protection, education and psychological support.
“It’s clear that mobile threats aren’t just technical, they’re deeply personal,” said David Ruiz, Senior Privacy Advocate at Malwarebytes. “Our report reveals the scale of the issue and its psychological impact.
"As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and cybercriminals truly adopt deepfake and AI technologies, we must go beyond raising awareness and empower users with the right tools and knowledge. No one should accept scams as the cost of digital life.”
Mobile threats are now a daily occurrence
The report confirms that 44% of users are exposed to mobile scams daily. Exposure rates are highest in the United States (51%) and the United Kingdom (49%), with the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) not far behind at 38%.
Despite growing awareness, two-thirds (66%) of respondents say they struggle to distinguish scams from legitimate content. Just 15% feel strongly confident in their ability to spot a scam, which raises concern for mobile providers increasingly reliant on digital engagement channels.
The emotional and financial cost of fraud
Beyond financial harm, with 52% of victims reporting monetary loss or fraud, the study highlights a critical emotional dimension. Three-quarters of scam victims say they suffer severe emotional consequences. At the same time, nearly half (46%) report long-term mental health effects, including anxiety, depression and a loss of trust in digital systems.
Telecoms firms cannot ignore the shift in sentiment. As more customer interactions migrate to mobile platforms, maintaining trust is no longer merely a customer service issue; it is now a reputational imperative.
Younger users are especially vulnerable
The research reveals that younger generations are disproportionately affected. Gen Z users are particularly vulnerable to sophisticated scams such as sextortion and deepfake-enabled extortion.
58% of Gen Z respondents report encountering these types of scams and 28% have fallen victim, nearly double the rate of Gen X and four times that of Boomers.
The growing sophistication of attacks, aided by easily accessible AI tools, makes scams harder to detect than ever before. Two-thirds of all respondents express concern about the future of AI-enhanced fraud.
A sector-wide call to action
In response, Malwarebytes has launched Scam Guard, a new feature embedded in its Mobile Security app. It provides real-time scam detection, user education, and threat alerts in a user-friendly chat interface.
It hopes the feature will help break the stigma around scams and encourage more users to seek help before damage is done.
Scam Guard aligns with a broader industry trend: telecom providers are expected to partner with cybersecurity firms to embed protection deeper into the mobile ecosystem.
The aim is to intercept threats before they reach the user and equip customers with the tools they need to respond confidently.
Underreporting hides the scale of the crisis
Despite the growing prevalence of scams, only 17% of victims report incidents to authorities. For younger users, the number is even lower at 14%. In 2024 alone, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recorded losses of US$16.6bn to cybercrime, with scams accounting for 83% of reported losses.
For the telecoms sector, the underreporting obscures the full scale of risk and makes it more difficult to calibrate effective responses. Collaboration across industry, government and cybersecurity vendors is required to uncover the actual cost of mobile fraud.
An opportunity to lead on digital trust
Telecom businesses are uniquely positioned to lead in the fight against mobile scams. By integrating solutions like Scam Guard, increasing customer education, and investing in proactive protection measures, telecom firms can protect users while reinforcing their role as trusted digital service providers.
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