09.23.2025 Philip Morley
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes
It’s Fall, y’all!
Plus, it’s October, so you know what that means… It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
For the ninth consecutive year, Iris® Powered by Generali is proud to champion Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM)!
This year’s theme, “Stay Safe Online,” perfectly captures our belief that cybersecurity doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating. With the proper knowledge, tools, and partnerships, every business – regardless of its size or type – can help its customers navigate the digital world with greater confidence and security.
We take pride in our long history of protecting identities and empowering businesses. We’re excited to share new research that reveals both challenges and opportunities for forward-thinking business leaders, along with a CAM resource hub specifically created for you.
New Research Reveals Daily Scam Exposure – and Opportunities for Business Leaders
The numbers are staggering, but they tell an important story.
The newly released Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) State of Scams in the United States of America 2025 report, proudly sponsored by Iris, has uncovered patterns that should reshape how businesses approach customer protection.
Here are a few key findings revealed in this new research: Americans encounter an average of 377 scam attempts per year – that’s more than one scam attempt every day. With 77% of Americans having experienced a scam, this isn’t a niche problem affecting a segment of the population. This is a daily reality for the vast majority of your customers.
While these daily encounters are overwhelming for any individual, they’re creating an environment where consumers are actively looking for businesses they trust to help protect them. The research shows that 35% of consumers believe commercial organizations should be most responsible for cybersecurity protection – more than any other type of entity, including government agencies.
The Confidence Gap: Where Smart Businesses Can Make a Real Difference
One of the most revealing findings from the GASA research highlights a critical disconnect that every business leader should be aware of. While 81% of consumers feel confident in their ability to recognize scams, 70% have been victimized by believable scam attempts within the past 12 months. Of those affected, more than 20% lost money to a scam, with the average financial losses totaling $1,086.70.
This confidence gap represents a significant opportunity for businesses to provide meaningful value by helping customers bridge the divide between what they think they know and what actually keeps them safe.
Why the Current Scam Landscape Should Reshape Your Customer Strategy
The GASA research strongly reinforces the insights from our own Identity & Cybersecurity Concerns (ICC) survey, where we found that one in two fraud victims described their recovery process as difficult, and 93% reported significant stress during resolution. These statistics represent your customers’ expressed needs for better protection and support. They also illuminate three critical areas where businesses can create meaningful competitive advantages while genuinely helping their customers stay safe online.
Strategy #1: Bridge the Reporting Gap That Frustrated Your Customers
Here’s a statistic that should concern every business leader: 74% of people report scam encounters, but 57% see no action taken in response. Even more telling, 18% of people who don’t report scams assume nothing will be done anyway.
There is a clear opportunity for businesses to differentiate themselves by creating reporting mechanisms that actually work. When customers see that you take their concerns seriously, respond transparently, and follow through with clear action, trust deepens significantly.
Strategy #2: Help Customers Use More Effective Protection Methods
The research reveals that 87% of people actively attempt to verify suspicious offers, but many rely on ineffective methods. For instance, 28% primarily check for spelling and grammar errors, which experts rate as largely ineffective since modern scams are much more sophisticated. Only 19% use highly effective methods, such as searching for external reviews.
Brands like yours have an opportunity to educate customers about more effective verification strategies while providing tools that spot the red flags that may still be lurking in the background. By helping customers improve their ability to spot scams, businesses can reduce the likelihood of their customers falling victim to scams.
Strategy #3: Recognize That Your Customers Expect You to Lead
The GASA research shows that customers aren't just hoping businesses will help with cybersecurity — they're expecting it. The businesses that recognize this shift and respond proactively build stronger customer relationships while their competitors still treat cybersecurity as an IT issue.
When customers face daily scam attempts but struggle to protect themselves effectively, they turn to trusted businesses for guidance and tools. Companies that provide this support not only help reduce customer risk but also create deeper loyalty and stronger brand differentiation.
Join Our Expert Panel Discussion on October 21!
Join Iris and GASA for a dynamic 45-minute panel moderated by Iris’ CEO, Paige Schaffer, featuring experts from GASA, Mastercard, Aspen Institute, and The Media Trust. We’ll reveal the most surprising findings from the State of Scams in the United States of America report and explore what consumers, businesses, and policymakers must do next to fight back.
This isn't just another cybersecurity presentation — it's a strategic business discussion about turning the challenges revealed in this research into opportunities for stronger customer relationships and business growth. Register today!
The Core 4: Building Customer Confidence Through Proven Cybersecurity Habits
This year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month focuses on four fundamental cybersecurity habits that anyone can master with proper guidance and tools. What makes the Core 4 approach particularly effective is how it transforms personal cybersecurity from intimidating tasks into achievable and routine habits.
- Use strong passwords and a password manager
- Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA)
- Update software
- Recognize and report phishing
These four practices create a foundation that customers can build on, while businesses can support these habits by providing educational resources, the necessary tools, and clear guidance.
Your Complete Resource Hub for Building Customer Trust Through Identity Protection & Cybersecurity
To support your brand’s cybersecurity initiatives – not just during October, but throughout the year – we’ve created a comprehensive interactive CAM resource hub for businesses of all sizes and types.
Here is what you’ll find:
- Weekly interactive cybersecurity quizzes
- Shareable educational content
- Downloadable resources
- End-consumer tools and solutions you can easily provide your customers to help them:
- Safely secure their passwords and generate unique passwords for each online account
- Have confidence when engaging with suspicious emails
- Monitor their sensitive personal info on the deep and dark web
- Receive empathetic, expert, and always-available fraud resolution assistance
Ready to re-imagine your approach to customer cybersecurity? Visit our CAM resource hub to download the complete State of Scams in the United States of America and discover how Iris can help you integrate comprehensive cybersecurity and identity protection that strengthens your customer relationships.
Protecting people is in our DNA, and helping businesses protect their customers is what we do best.
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