Only 14% of Poles know very well what to do in case they become victims to online fraud. As many as 43% have no idea how to act then, according to Bank ING’s latest survey on cyber security.

ING’s latest research shows that Poles are increasingly active online. It accelerated strongly during the pandemic and continues to grow. Poles are more likely than before to study or work online (59% of respondents), to do official business (54%), to shop, including for clothes but also food (53%). Other activities such as recreation, searching for information, social activities or payments have also developed online, although of course most people were already using them before the pandemic.

The most popular activities performed by Poles online are payments (87%), searching for information or news is indicated by 85% of respondents, and shopping is chosen by 79% of respondents. At the same time, as many as 70% of Poles believe that the number of cyber attacks is increasing today, and almost half of those surveyed (44%) say they have been the victim of an online scam or know someone who has experienced a cyber attack.

In terms of finances, around half of Poles sometimes worry about their online safety, while 6% feel such concerns constantly. Moreover, only 11% of young people aged 18-24 declare that they always feel safe online. Poles feel safest when paying with cash, followed by card transactions and online banking.

Of all cyber threats, Poles are most familiar with: phishing (64%), malware (64%) and online lies (63%). These scams are also among the most commonly experienced.

To protect themselves from online scams, 71% of Poles say they do not click on suspicious links. 64% consider being careful about receiving emails or phone calls to be the most common means to protect themselves from online fraud, and 61% never give out payment or personal information outside of authorised apps or websites.

Adrian Andrzejewski