Cybercriminals target new internet users as 2 billion more set to join by 2030
About 2.6 billion people, roughly a third of the world's population, are still offline, BBC Swahili reports. As about 2 billion come online by 2030, scammers are waiting with fake links, ransomware and AI-made deepfakes.
Millions of first-time internet users are stepping into a more dangerous online world, BBC Swahili reports. Many lack the experience to spot the tricks scammers use. Protections such as digital safety training and anti-fraud measures have not kept pace with the growth in users. About 2.6 billion people, roughly a third of the world's population, still cannot use the internet. If access keeps growing at the current pace, about 2 billion more will get online by 2030. For many, that will mean their first encounter with spam, ransomware and fake websites built to defraud them. Anicet Etekpo, a security officer in Benin, learned this in 2022. He clicked a link sent on Facebook by someone he thought was a friend. He told the BBC the link took him to a scam site that asked for his personal details, including his bank account information. He lost a large sum of money. At the time, he had been using the internet for only a few years. Etekpo said he felt unprotected and at great risk. He believes people are vulnerable less because they lack tech skills than because of trust. He said many people trust those who contact them online and act quickly without checking whether a message…
Read more 3 min read