ABN Amro’s young adult customers are more likely to be victims of online fraud than those over the age of 65. One in seven customers was affected last year, with many young people relying on their digital skills.
This is evident from research conducted in June and July 2026 by Ipsos I&O on behalf of ABN AMRO. For data on young people, the bank focuses on the 18 to 35-year-old age group.
Surprisingly, according to the study, the proportion of victims is higher among young people than among those over 65 years old. Meanwhile, research from the Global Alliance Against Fraud shows that many young people believe they can easily identify online scams.
ABN AMRO warns: AI voice cloning makes fraud harder to detect
ABN Amro said this trust could actually come with risks. For example, generative AI allows fraudsters to clone voices, manipulate images and create messages specifically targeted at the people they are trying to defraud.
“Fraudsters are constantly adapting their methods to adapt to new technologies,” said Kathelijne Swak, head of fraud chain experts at ABN Amro. “In the past, false messages could sometimes be identified through language errors or suspicious senders, while fraudsters are leveraging artificial intelligence to carry out increasingly sophisticated deceptions. Consider, for example, AI voice cloning, manipulated influencer content and voices specifically tailored to the recipient.
Social media plays an important role in this. Young people use platforms not only to stay connected, but also to discover and purchase products. According to data cited by ABN AMRO, nine out of 10 fraud attempts occur through channels where users can message each other directly.
58% of young people will not check the contact information of an online store
Just because young people are digitally savvy doesn’t mean they always carry out necessary security checks, the bank said. For example, 58% of people do not check the contact details of online stores. More than half (53%) of people check online store reviews on review sites.
Even if someone claims to be calling on behalf of the bank, there is no guarantee of who is actually calling. Four in 10 young people (39%) use ABN Amro’s Conversation rolls for this purpose.
Schake warned that fraudsters will take advantage of this group’s online behavior. “Young people spend a lot of time online, shop via social media, and often act quickly. This makes them attractive to fraudsters. The more you think you can always spot artificial intelligence, the more likely you are to be surprised by it. We often hear people think this will never happen to them. So, be critical, check the data for yourself and remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
MRT I have written before about how to identify online fraud.
Super Gang founder Nessim Ahmadi’s face seen in fake football shirt again
Nesim el Ahmadi from Supergaan experienced the power of online deception. What he didn’t know was that his name and face were being used to sell football shirts. ABN Amro is partnering with a YouTube channel in a campaign to combat online fraud.
“Honestly, I didn’t think something like this would happen to me so soon,” Ahmadi said. “It’s strange how easily someone could create a fake account using my profile photo and name to sell fake football shirts through a paid TikTok campaign. And that’s just copying the photo. Now fraudsters are also using AI voice cloning and video deepfakes, and young people are completely unable to tell the difference between the fake and the real thing.”
ABN AMRO hopes to make young people aware of the increasingly blurred lines between real content and content created by artificial intelligence. That’s why the entire introduction was made using artificial intelligence in Supergaan’s video, after which the real makers discussed the subject further.
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