The State of Scams in Germany 2025
GASA’s The State of Scams in Germany 2025 report, sponsored by BioCatch, highlights the latest fraud trends in the country as reported by German consumers.
In this report, you’ll discover:
- Billions in losses: Scam losses in Germany totaled €10.6 billion ($11.5 billion) in the last 12 months alone, with the average loss per victim exceeding €800 ($891).
- Most common scam platforms: The majority (84%) of scam attempts in the last 12 months were found to take place on platforms with a direct message function, including Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
- Scam victims defy stereotypes: Nearly a quarter of victims identified as Gen Zers and a significant portion (21%) identified as highly educated.
- High reporting rates, but refunds not guaranteed: More than 80% of those who said they fell victim to a scam in the last 12 months said they reported the experience to their payment service provider. Yet, 58% of those who filed reports said they didn't see action taken or still weren’t sure of the outcome of their reporting. Only 35% of victims say they were able to recover at least some of their losses.
- Children also targeted: A quarter of German parents surveyed say their children had been targeted by a scammer in the last year.
- Harm extends beyond lost money: Nearly two-thirds of German scam victims experienced emotional stress from the ordeal, while 38% said the experience impacted their mental wellbeing.
Download now and learn more about what the German citizenry’s seeing on the scam front in their country.