Ireland has been identified as the most phished country in the world, with nearly two-thirds of Irish adults reporting experiences with phishing attacks, according to a new research.
Phishing, a form of cybercrime, involves sending fraudulent emails to trick individuals into revealing personal information such as passwords and credit card details.
The study, conducted by the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN), revealed that Ireland’s phishing rate is nearly double the global average.
The findings are part of the WIN World Survey, which focused on data collection practices, misuse, and public awareness of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey involved almost 34,000 participants across 39 countries, including over 1,000 respondents from Ireland.
In addition to phishing, the research highlighted that over 20 per cent of Irish adults have been victims of credit card fraud or bank account hacking, a figure nearly twice the global average of 12 per cent.
Despite the high prevalence of cyber fraud, only 23 per cent of Irish adults are aware of what happens to their personal information when it is shared with data collectors—well below the global average of 30 per cent.
The study also found that knowledge of artificial intelligence in Ireland is low, with only 21 per cent of respondents claiming to have a strong understanding of AI.