Digital fraud

How do low digital competence and both own and others’ negative experiences with digital fraud affect the mental health of the elderly? This is what we are trying to find out in the Digital Fraud project. Our aim of is to contribute new knowledge about the relationship between fear of fraud, actual fraud and digital exclusion.

Our society is more and more digitalized. One of the side effects is that approximately one in four Norwegians has been exposed to digital fraud (Nkom, 2023). Citizen surveys have shown that identity theft and online fraud are those incidents people are most worried about being affected by, and elderly are more insecure than younger people (Politiet, 2022).

Instructors in the Pensioners’ Association report that the elderly’s fear of digital fraud among elderly can hinder their digital participation. Approximately 600,000 Norwegians are considered non-digital (HK-dir, 2021).

Mapping of Fraud and Identity Theft

We are investigating fraud incidents and collect individual stories using surveys among pensioners and elderly, as well as interviews. This will give us new knowledge about factors associated with vulnerabilities to digital fraud. Thus, it will be easier to assess what measures can be taken to counter the increase in fraud attempts.

An overall goal of the project is to reduce the number of citizens deceived by digital fraud, whether it pertains to banking, insurance, pension, health, or care services. Additionally, the project aims to ensure that more elderly individuals feel secure using digital technology.

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