site.btaBulgarians Who Mistake AI-Generated Content for Real Four Times More Likely to Be Tricked by Scammers, Visa Finds

Bulgarians who mistake fake AI-generated content for real are nearly four times more likely to be tricked by scammers than those who don't (58% vs. 16%), according to research from Visa.

The research was conducted by Opinium, on behalf of Visa, between August and September 2025. The survey included a nationally representative sample of 9,500 adults in 11 countries in Europe: the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Czechia.

In Bulgaria, Visa found that people who are affected by online scams lose an average of BGN 281 per incident, costing the Bulgarian economy an estimated BGN 160.5 million annually. The impact goes far beyond financial loss, causing emotional distress, increased anxiety and reduced productivity. On average, 26% of Bulgarian victims of online scams spend more than 24 hours resolving the issue.

The way people engage with content online plays a major role. Those who share a post without checking its accuracy first, are more likely to be targeted and impacted by online scams compared to those who tend to take a moment to verify it first (35% vs. 22%). Everyday online habits - such as skimming headlines, resharing without verifying and trusting AI-generated content - are creating new vulnerabilities that scammers are quick to exploit.

The survey reveals that 43% rarely read beyond a headline on social networks or news websites before forming an opinion; 28% have reshared a post without checking its accuracy; 34% of people targeted by scams say they now avoid shopping online. 1.6 million consumers have reduced or completely stopped shopping online after falling victim to fraudulent activity.

Visa comments that this is having a particularly significant impact on independent businesses, which make up 98.8% of Bulgaria's business population and depend heavily on consumer confidence to survive and grow.

Visa is stepping up the fight against social media scams. In the last five years alone, Visa has invested USD 12 billion in technology, including building smart systems that detect suspicious behaviour in real time and stop scams before they reach people.