WEF: Cyber Fraud and Phishing Are Top Cyber Concerns

Cyber-enabled fraud and phishing are no longer side issues, according to a new Help Net Security interview with Akshay Joshi, Head of the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity. The report matters at home because the same fraud wave that worries companies also reaches families through texts, email, calls, social media messages and fake account alerts.

What happened

According to Help Net Security, Joshi discussed findings from the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 and said cyber-enabled fraud and phishing have moved ahead of ransomware as the top cyber concern for CEOs.

The article says 73% of respondents reported that they or someone in their network had been personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud in 2025. It also says 77% reported an increase in fraud and phishing.

Help Net Security also reports that AI is changing both attacks and defenses. The interview says 87% of respondents identified AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk, and it describes fraud as becoming more industrialized. The article does not name specific scam groups, brands, apps or US agencies tied to the activity.

For a household, the practical lesson is simple: treat unexpected financial, delivery, login, tech support and family-emergency messages as high risk until you verify them another way.

Who is affected

The source discusses organizations, CEOs and global cybersecurity risk, but the fraud described is personal too. Help Net Security says nearly three quarters of respondents had either been affected themselves or knew someone who had.

That means ordinary households, older relatives, students, remote workers and small offices should assume phishing and fraud attempts are routine. The article does not disclose a list of affected companies, US states, phone carriers, banks or platforms.

Families should pay special attention to scams that create urgency: a blocked account, a missed package, a fake toll bill, a payment problem, or a message that appears to come from a relative. CyberSec24 has more detail in our AI voice cloning scam playbook and our guide to QR, toll-text and package scams.

What to do now

1. Slow down any message that demands money, gift cards, crypto, remote access or a password reset. Do not use the link or phone number in the message; open the company’s app or type the known website address yourself.

2. Set a family verification rule today. Pick a private safe word or call-back method for money requests, emergency claims and voice messages that sound like a loved one. Our family safe word guide gives a simple setup.

3. Turn on stronger login protection for important accounts. Start with email, banking, mobile carrier, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and any payment apps. Use an authenticator app or security key where available instead of SMS codes when the service supports it.

4. Use unique passwords for every account. If one site is tricked or breached, reused passwords can let attackers try the same login elsewhere. A password manager makes this realistic for a household.

5. Warn the people most likely to be targeted. Tell relatives and coworkers that fraud and phishing are increasing, according to the WEF interview reported by Help Net Security. Ask them to verify payment changes, delivery fees and urgent family requests before acting.

6. Report suspicious messages through the service that received them. Use the report-spam option in your messaging app or email provider, and block the sender after saving any details you need.