Online dating scams are amongst the most popular types of internet scams in Asia, a new study has found.
The study, carried out by telecommunications group Telenor Group, has identified the top five internet scams in the region, accompanying the findings with a guide to protecting personal information online.
The findings are based on interviews with internet users between the ages of 18 and 65 across Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and India.
It found that a staggering 9 in 10 of the scam victims surveyed confirmed they had in fact lost money during the fraud, demonstrating the concerning success rates of internet scamming.
Topping the list of scams was “work from home” fraud (36%), in which individuals are either tricked into paying someone online to help them start a business, or are fooled into carrying out work for which they do not receive payment.
Online dating fraud appeared among the top methods of scamming in Asia, accounting for 14% of the survey results.
In terms of gender, Telenor Group found that Asian women (78%) are more aware of online dating scams, however men (74%) are more aware of banking and spyware fraud.
Internet auction scams (16%), fake bank emails (15%) and identity theft (13%) are also popular methods of online scamming across the continent.
As a result of this, the company also surveyed participants about the action they take to ensure that they avoid being victims of internet scams.
According to the company, more than 80% of the survey’s respondents feel it is the responsibility of individuals to maintain their online safety.
During the study, those surveyed said that deleting all suspicious emails, ignoring “too good to be true” offers and updating anti-malware software are the three best ways to ensure protection against online fraud.
They also said that undertaking online research about scams to educate yourself and sharing knowledge through social media can also help people learn more about scams and how to identify them.
Speaking about the study, Telenor Group said: “The multi-market survey assessed the impact of scams on 400 internet users aged 18 — 65+ in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India and was conducted to provide a better understanding of the common online scam methods.
“The results additionally glean the best internet scam prevention methods from experienced users, in order for netizens in Asia to gain more insight on the subject.”
Find out more about the survey here.