Tag: verify

Irish consumers 6x more likely to be scammed by falling for AI fakes

The scale and sophistication of fraudulent advertising and AI-generated scams on social media are growing rapidly, making it harder than ever for people to know what’s real. New research from Visa in Ireland reveals that people who mistake fake AI-generated content for real are six times more likely to be tricked by scammers online than those who don’t (73% vs. 12%). This highlights how digital misinformation directly increases vulnerability and underscores the importance of collective action to protect consumers and restore trust in digital platforms.
In Ireland, Visa found that people who are affected by online scams typically lose €124.50 per incident (median amount), costing the Irish economy an estimated €71.8 million annually. The impact goes beyond financial loss, causing emotional distress, increased anxiety and reduced productivity. On average, victims of online scams spend around 8.9 days resolving the issue – which is 44% of the working month.
The way people engage with content online plays a major role. Those who share a post without checking its accuracy first, are five times 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. 6%). 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:
  • 59% have believed online content was genuine only to later discover it was an AI-generated fake
  • Over a third (38%) rarely read beyond a headline before forming an opinion
  • Almost a quarter (23%) have reshared a post without checking its accuracy
The ripple effect of online scams
As online scams grow more sophisticated and widespread, this shift in consumer behaviour is having a tangible impact on the wider economy. Almost half (42%) have changed how they shop online after being scammed and one in two people (50%) targeted by online shopping scams say they now avoid shopping with smaller or unfamiliar brands.
This is having a particularly significant impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which account for 99.8% of Ireland’s business population and depend heavily on consumer confidence to survive and grow2.
Stepping up the fight against fraud
Visa is stepping up the fight against social media scams – combining decades of experience with cutting-edge technology and working closely with banks, retailers, and digital platforms to restore trust in online commerce.
AI has been central to Visa’s approach to fraud prevention. For over 30 years, the company has used AI powered tools to help keep payments secure and stay ahead of evolving threats. In the last five years alone, Visa has invested $12 billion in technology, including building smart, AI-powered systems that detect suspicious behaviour in real time and stop scams before they reach people.
Awareness is as critical as technology. With almost two in five (39%) people believing AI will make scams harder to spot on social media, Visa is taking proactive steps to close that gap. Tackling fraud requires a united front, and Visa is committed to collaborating across the ecosystem to set new standards for consumer protection.
By working closely with banks, retailers and platforms to ensure consumers have the right advice at their fingertips, Visa is helping people recognise an AI-generated scam, understand how they work, and stay safe in an increasingly AI-driven digital world. Because the more informed people are, the harder it is for scammers to succeed.
Visa is calling on all stakeholders – platforms, banks, retailers and policymakers – to work together to raise the bar for digital trust and consumer protection.
Conor Langford, Visa Country Manager for Ireland said: “AI is transforming how we live, shop, work and connect, but it’s also reshaping the landscape for fraud. Scammers are using the same technology that brings us innovation to deceive and exploit consumers, blurring the line between real and fake. These scams can hurt real people, costing not just money but peace of mind and trust. At Visa, we’re investing in AI-driven fraud prevention and working hand-in-hand with our partners across the ecosystem to strengthen digital trust. The more informed people are, the safer our digital economy becomes. Together, we can build a more secure digital future for everyone.”
Elaine Burke, Tech journalist & host of the For Tech Sake podcast, warns: “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to be certain of what’s real and what’s not online. Social media feeds are flooded with content generated using AI, which is not always disclosed. This same generative AI has made it easier for scammers to create content that looks completely convincing and blends into feeds where AI slop has become the norm. Scammers can even selectively target those who interact with this type of content, knowing they are more likely to engage with it. That’s why education and awareness are so important. The more aware you are of scammers’ methods, the less likely you are to become their next success story.”
Spot the Scam: Five Smart Ways to Stay Safe on Social Media
Question the source
Scammers often mimic legitimacy with fake business pages, slick ads, AI-generated celebrity endorsements, and convincing personal messages. These tactics can look incredibly real. Before you click, pause and ask: Is this trustworthy? A moment of doubt can save you from a costly mistake.
Take a breath
Urgency is a scammer’s best friend. Promises of free gifts, massive discounts, or “limited-time” offers are designed to rush your decision. Instead, slow down. Check if the offer is realistic, research the company, read reviews and visit the official brand website before sharing any personal information.
Verify the sender – not just the profile
A message from a friend, influencer, or organisation asking for money or personal details? Don’t assume it’s legit. Confirm independently: call the person, use a verified website, or contact the business directly. Scammers often hijack real accounts to appear authentic.
Stay secure and report suspicious activity
Protect your accounts by turning on extra security features like two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) where possible. Keep your apps and devices updated and regularly review your privacy settings. If you spot a suspicious ad, post or account, report it to the social platform – and to your bank if money is involved.
Pay securely – or not at all
Never share your bank details over social media. If someone asks you to send money via bank transfer, it’s likely a scam. Always use secure payment methods that offer buyer protection. If that’s not an option, walk away.
For more information on how to pay safely, please visit: www.visa.ie/pay-safely-with-visa.html

Top Tools to Verify Your Degree or Diploma Online

These days, you can easily deal with fake diplomas without even knowing. The truth is that people are indeed trying to show fake degrees and diplomas, in an effort to obtain a better job. However, for your business that can be very problematic. You must figure out how to identify whether a person is lying about their diploma or degree.

If you are dealing with a liar, that could bring problems for your business in the long run. That’s why using tools which help identify a fake degree can be a very good idea. Here’s a list with some of the top tools you can use to verify degrees and diplomas.

Why is it important to verify degrees?

  • It allows you to prevent fraud, which a lot of people are focused on doing if they want a specific job. They will go to the ends of the world to fake their degree or diploma just to get a high-paying job. 
  • Plus, verifying degrees offers you a very good way of protecting your reputation, something that will help quite a lot.
  • It also gives you the means to streamline your recruitment naturally, something that will help more than expected.
  • Additionally, it gives you global mobility, a thing that will help more than expected.
  • With help from degree verification, you will be able to ensure competence, which is indeed something you have to focus on.

Thankfully, there’s no shortage of tools you can use when it comes to verifying degrees. That’s why the list below is helpful, as it will make it easier to verify degrees quickly and effectively. Once you start using these tools, you won’t have to worry about any downsides or problems in the long term.

Verifile

Verifile is a global database that covers many fraudulent institutions and diploma mills. It has extensive records of fake providers, and it works closely with some of the top background screening companies. It’s crucial for those that want to detect fraud, and it works extremely well. Not only that, but a lot of people appreciate this because it’s very effective at helping you find any fake diploma or degree. Overall, it does a stellar job at narrowing down whether a diploma is real or not, and that truly becomes a solid option to consider.

Parchment

It’s an US-based fake diploma finder and it will help you particularly with credential verification, along with transcripts. It’s very effective at integrating with applicant tracking systems and it has connections with a plethora of universities and schools. With that in mind, it has a very fast turnaround, and the online system they are using is very user-friendly.

The downside is that it mostly focuses on the US, and prices are on the high side. That being said, the fact that it focuses on transcripts is handy, and it certainly helps make the experience better and more cohesive. All in all, the value for money is excellent, and you will find it to convey good results, overall.

Digitary

Digitary is a good service for those that want to verify academic credentials. It uses the blockchain for credential storage, and it has instant verification using secure links. On top of that, in order to maintain a high level of accuracy, they have partnerships with a variety of higher education institutions found all over the world. 

That being said, employers don’t always have to pay, the issuing costs are covered by institutions. Since the upside is that you get results very fast, it’s one of the top-tier solutions for verifying credentials, and it does work much better than expected. Overall, the value is certainly there, and for the most part, you will be impressed with the consistent value for money delivered here.

Truecopy Credentials

It’s one of the more popular credential checkup services, and it’s partnered with a multitude of universities. They also provide secure delivery for digital documents, not to mention a plethora of institutions from all over the world are using this, which is indeed a major plus. That being said, you have prices that vary based on the customer requirements, and they can add up at times.

It’s limited to mostly transcript verification, although they are doing some credential verifications in there as well. And additionally, it can be great for those that apply abroad, as it is a thing you have to consider. Sure, it might not be as popular outside of the academic circles, but it’s a solid option for credential verification.

Accredible

The Accredible platform is designed to verify diplomas and digital certificates coming from academic institutions. Simply put, if someone has a fake diploma or degree, this is one of the top tools for you to verify its accuracy. It uses blockchain-secured credentials and QR solutions to streamline the way everything works. Plus, it offers secure verification and it certainly helps remove any worries about forgery. These days, it’s a great idea to use it, just because there are so many scammers you have to deal with.

Qualification Check

Unlike most of the other companies, this one is from the UK. However, it has a global reach and it covers over 190 countries. It will help verify credentials and diplomas, along with training certificates, professional licenses and higher education certificates. It will cost anywhere from $20 to $60 to do a verification. 

Generally, you can see the results in around 5 to 10 days, and the user interface is really simple. That being said, you will notice that costs always add up, especially when it comes to verifying people in bulk. Despite all of that, we think that this is an exceptional tool with a great value for money and stellar feature sets. 

World Education Services

It’s one of the top evaluation services of degrees. Sure, it is on the costly side, but they do work directly with universities to figure out if there are any fake diplomas or degrees. That does come in handy, and it shows the exceptional value you get from something like this. And for the most part, the ROI you can expect in these cases is among some of the best.

That being said, there are some downsides to WES as well. One of them is the fact that costs are high, and processing takes multiple weeks. That’s because they work directly with universities, so it will not be something instant.

National Student Clearinghouse

You will notice this is a solid service, especially if you are very serious about hiring reliable people and not those with a fake degree. It can verify degrees, transcripts and many others. On top of that, they provide results very fast, and since it’s a nonprofit, they are more trustworthy when compared to other companies. Keep in mind that coverage outside of the US is rather limited.

If you want to make sure that you hire the right people, you want to verify their degree and diplomas. You never know when and how people may want to lie. These things happen a lot more often than you realize. So it makes a lot of sense to focus on the diplomas, figure out if people lie or not, and then go from there. In the end, you can never be too careful, so verifying degrees and diplomas is extremely important!