A study by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) reveals people from Generation Z – born in the late 1990s and early 2000s — are more likely to fall for internet scams than Baby Boomers.
“They're tech savvy [and] they're digital native, but that doesn't necessarily make them security savvy,” said Lisa Pleggemier, NCA executive director.
She said many young people who fall for scams or have accounts hacked become victims due to:
- Spending more time online
- Clicking links from phones rather than a web browser where it is easier to investigate
- Not securing accounts
Some people from Generation Z admitted to not following the rules when it comes to complex passwords on accounts.
“I won’t lie, a lot of platforms I use similar passwords," said Locksley Milwood, Generation Z.
Others take their online security seriously for themselves and others.
"I think it is better for everyone if all of the accounts are secure because the fewer pieces of information, people who we don't want to have information have, the better," said Allie Parrack.
Although Gen Z was identified as the most frequent age group to be scammed or hacked, older generations tend to be out more money when they do become victims.
