Financial cyber scams continue to impact thousands of Israelis. A new study published by the Israel Internet Association revealed that nearly half of the Israeli public have been affected by online financial scams or exposed to serious cyber crimes.
According to the data, 42% of Israelis said they had fallen victim to online scams or phishing attacks. Some reported transferring money to fraudulent schemes involving impersonations of lottery wins, inheritances, or investment opportunities.
The findings show that 22.7% of respondents were targeted by phishing attempts—receiving emails or text messages appearing to come from trusted services, aimed at extracting personal information. Meanwhile, 14.2% experienced online fraud after paying for a product or service that was never delivered, and 5.18% said they had transferred money to entities posing as legitimate sources.
In addition to financial fraud, 21% reported discovering malware or viruses on their devices—whether desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Another 7% said someone had accessed their email or social media accounts without permission, either by guessing or stealing their password. 6.1% of respondents said they had been victims of identity theft or phishing.
The study also raised concerns about outdated security protections on smart devices. Around 30% of Israelis are exposed to cyber vulnerabilities and the risk of personal data theft due to weak browser security or outdated operating systems—primarily on smartphones and other smart devices.
Public concern over cybercrime is also on the rise. Some 39% of respondents said they were afraid of falling victim to cybercrime in the near future. Another 22.2% were neutral, 16.5% agreed to a large extent, 15.3% disagreed, and only 6.7% strongly disagreed. Notably, the study found no significant differences in levels of concern across gender, age, income, or education groups.
Another statistic revealed by the study related to Israelis’ digital security habits. About 70% of respondents said they reused the same password across multiple accounts or services, and 38% admitted they do not know how to identify whether a website is secure.
The Israel Internet Association stressed that the findings highlight the urgent need to raise awareness and promote individual responsibility among users. According to the association’s experts, cyberattacks and online fraud now affect nearly every second Israeli. They emphasized that the first line of defense against these digital threats is personal discretion and caution.
The study was conducted as part of a new national campaign by the Israel Internet Association supported by the Ministry of Justice’s Class Action Fund. The campaign aims to raise public awareness and offer practical tools for preventing online fraud—a growing concern over the past two years, particularly since the outbreak of the war in southern Israel.
As part of the campaign, a public information and guidance webpage was launched, featuring key details about common types of online scams, compiled by the Internet Safety Hotline. The site also offers practical digital guides for recognizing fraud and responding to phishing attempts, with the goal of reducing the spread of online scams.
