Why digital safety is now a dinner table topic across Europe

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month — a timely reminder that online safety is no longer a niche concern. It affects families, communities, and businesses across Europe. Our latest consumer research in five European countries (UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) shows just how central cybersecurity has become to everyday life. 

Seven in 10 Europeans say they are more concerned about cybersecurity than they were two years ago, and two-thirds believe protecting personal data online is harder than securing their own homes. Cybersecurity is even becoming a dinner-table topic: Just over half (53%) of Europeans think about it at least weekly, and nearly half have discussed it at home in the past month.

By 2029, cybercrime is projected to cost the global economy $15.6 trillion, making cybercrime the third largest economy in the world — and growing, thanks to the ability of widespread availability of AI tools to supercharge scams and accelerate attacks.

Let’s take a look at some of the key findings from the survey: 

From shopping to crypto: Fraud attempts now touch nearly everyone 

Fraud is part of everyday life for millions across Europe. In fact, nearly four in five consumers (77%) experienced a scam attempt in the past year. Scams come in all shapes and sizes: shopping and retail fraud (32%), investment and cryptocurrency schemes (27%), identity theft attempts (25%), romance or dating scams (24%), travel fraud and ticketing fraud (19%).

And while no group is immune, younger people are particularly vulnerable: among Gen Z, 41% of those targeted actually engaged with a scam. 

When asked about what actions they take to protect themselves from fraud, Gen Z were less likely than older peers to check the sender before opening emails or to use security software and tools, while Boomers were less likely to enable biometric authentication for their apps or digital accounts or to review and adjust privacy settings.   

The fear of scam-shaming is real  

Experts note that fraud, especially romance scams, is widely underreported, as the emotional betrayal makes victims feel ashamed, and friends, family, or even authorities often place the blame on them. Our survey confirms this sense of stigma: more than half would feel ashamed if they fell victim to fraud, and 44% would be embarrassed to talk about it. A smaller percentage (31%) say they would judge someone else in the same situation.

There was a generational divide in this as well, with about half of Gen Z and Millennials were more trusting of AI than human-monitored security compared to 36% of Gen X and 25% of Boomers — and Gen Z was the most optimistic that AI could make identity verification and fraud protections better in the next five years. 

Smarter tech means sharper threats 

And one of the biggest shifts we’re seeing is the role of artificial intelligence in scams. Anxiety over AI is widespread, from the potential for AI systems to be hacked and turned against its users to automated large-scale cyberattacks to AI-generated voice cloning for scam calls or convincing phishing emails created by AI.

Three-quarters of Europeans agreed that “AI will make it impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake online, and only 8% of respondents are very confident in their ability to identify AI-generated threats or scams. Their top concern is about AI in relation to cybersecurity is criminals using it to create more sophisticated attacks (36%). 

Building digital trust together 

While the risks are high, many Europeans are taking proactive steps to protect themselves: Keeping software and apps updated (65%), Checking sender details before opening emails (65%), using strong password practices (60%) or verifying unknown communications (61%). Despite these efforts, the demand for education is growing: two-thirds (67%) say they would like formal education or training on how to handle scams.

Over the years, Mastercard has doubled down on its commitment to cybersecurity through acquisitions, cutting-edge tools, and strategic partnerships — investing more than $10.6 billion in cybersecurity innovation since 2018. Recently, Mastercard acquired Recorded Future, the world’s largest threat intelligence company. Mastercard is dedicated to creating a higher standard of trust in the payment ecosystem, democratizing cybersecurity to create new opportunities for businesses. 

Its suite of cybersecurity services focuses on assessing cyber risk exposure, providing AI and other technology-driven innovations to protect the digital environment and making continuous advancements to organize trust for people and businesses around the world.  

At the heart of this effort is the European Cyber Resilience Center (ECRC), a hub for cybersecurity collaboration and thought leadership. The ECRC unites public and private sectors to protect Mastercard’s network, safeguard customers, and bolster regulatory partnerships. Through shared threat intelligence, advanced analytics, and cooperation with law enforcement, the ECRC drives a unified defence against cyber threats.