Why Youth Are Among the Most Victimized
Across the globe, financial crime is no longer a marginal phenomenon; it has become an everyday risk affecting ordinary people, businesses, and entire economies. In recent years, the rise of online fraud, cybercrime, and sophisticated scam networks has reshaped the very nature of financial crime. The proliferation of digital technologies and the rapid pace of globalization, while offering incredible opportunities, have also provided criminals with unprecedented tools and reach. A stark consequence of this trend is that young people are increasingly targeted. Experts estimate that more than 70% of online scam victims in recent years have been under age 35, driven by the ease of targeting digitally active demographics. Although this statistic is highlighted in many law enforcement assessments, official European data like Europol’s Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment report affirms that criminal operations increasingly exploit digital platforms and vulnerable users.
Globalization and Technology — A Double-Edged Sword
The core drivers of financial crime’s growth lie in globalization and technological transformation. The internet, social media and advanced communication tools have dissolved geographical boundaries, enabling criminals to scale their operations swiftly across continents. Organized syndicates harness these technologies to deploy scams and fraud schemes in multiple languages and contexts simultaneously, often beyond the reach of local law enforcement. Europol’s 2025 organized crime threat assessment shows how criminal networks have evolved into global, technology-driven enterprises, exploiting digital platforms, encrypted communication channels and online payment systems to amplify their reach and impact.
This globalization is not accidental. Criminal groups now operate like multinational enterprises, outsourcing tasks such as recruitment, money laundering and even identity spoofing through what technologists call “crime-as-a-service.” They pool stolen credentials and personal data on dark net marketplaces, then repurpose that information to commit fraud globally. This shift has dramatically lowered the technical barriers to entry; even individuals with limited technological expertise can access ready-made phishing kits or deep fake tools to deceive unsuspecting victims. Experts warn that AI and generative technologies will only accelerate this trend, making fraud more scalable and harder to detect.
Youth at Risk — Why Young People Are Disproportionately Targeted
One of the most troubling aspects of this crisis is the aging profile of victims. Young adults and teens are more connected, more active on social media, and more likely to experiment with new financial technologies, but often without sufficient awareness of risks or safeguards. While official global statistics on exact age breakdowns of scam victims vary, industry analyses and law enforcement operations consistently point to a disproportionate number of younger victims in digital fraud cases. Many law enforcement insights note that criminal groups specifically leverage social media platforms and digital job ads to target younger users with promises of easy money, dating relationships, or work-from-home opportunities that turn out to be scams.
In some cases, young victims are not just targets , they become unwitting participants. Criminals lure youth into operating as “money mules”, where their bank accounts are used to transfer illicit funds, often under the guise of a fake job posting or quick-money scheme. Recent investigative pieces highlight how such schemes have surged, with tens of thousands of young people recruited via social platforms like Instagram and TikTok, then facing serious legal and financial consequences when bank accounts are frozen or traced to criminal transactions.
The Role of Technological Illiteracy and Overconfidence
A key factor in why young people fall victim more frequently is a gap in digital literacy. Many users are comfortable with online technologies but lack a critical understanding of security practices and scam protocols. Research from cyber security firms shows that while a large percentage of consumers believe they can identify a scam, a significant portion still fall victim, illustrating what psychologists call the “overconfidence effect,” where people overestimate their ability to detect threats. Scammers exploit this: they engineer urgency, authority, and familiarity to override cautious instincts
This gap is compounded by the constant introduction of new platforms and services. Younger users are often early adopters of apps, crypto currencies, NFTs, or fin tech products markets that are booming but under-regulated. Fraudsters adapt quickly, using AI to generate highly convincing impersonation scams, deep fake videos, and automated social engineering messages that few users are trained to recognize or report. Europol and INTERPOL both warn that organized crime groups are now using AI-generated tools to rapidly scale fraudulent operations, making detection and prevention much more challenging.
Global Scam Centers and Human Trafficking
Globalization has not just made financial crime borderless. But in many regions, it has industrialized it. INTERPOL’s recent analysis reveals the expansion of “scam hubs” and operations in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, where victims are sometimes even trafficked into scam centers under false pretenses and forced to conduct fraud campaigns. These syndicates create global networks of deception, where participants and victims alike suffer serious financial and psychological harm.
Such centers exploit local vulnerabilities, lack of employment opportunities, social instability, and lax regulation and they supply global criminal networks with manpower and illicit services. The victims of these hubs are themselves often coerced or trafficked, a stark indicator of how deeply interconnected financial crime has become with broader criminal ecosystems.
A Need for Global Awareness and Education
There are many reasons financial crime is rising, from the rapid pace of globalization and technological disruption to the adaptability of organized crime networks. But at its heart, one of the most valid explanations is the mismatch between technological adoption and public understanding. Many people, especially younger demographics, use new technologies without sufficient knowledge of the risks or protective protocols. If education, regulation, and enforcement can align globally, there is potential to slow the rise of financial crime and shield vulnerable users from increasingly sophisticated predatory tactics.
By Dr. Qadeem Khan,
PhD (Forensic Acc)
Financial Forensic Expert
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