McAfee’s 2026 State of the Scamiverse Reveals Indians See 4 Deepfakes Per Day on Average, Spend Nearly 3 Work Weeks a Year Sorting Real Messages from Scams

 

 
 

1 of 3 Indians say it took just 5 minutes to realize a scammer was trying to cheat them out of money or information.

Key Findings:

  • Indians receive 13 scam messages per day on average across text, email, and social media.
  • Indians spend 102 hours per year trying to determine what is real or fake online — nearly three full work weeks.
  • Among people harmed by a scam, the typical scam unfolded in just 30 minutes or less.
  • 51% of Indians report losing money to a scam, with the average loss being ₹93,915.

India—Feb 05, 2026—McAfee, a global leader in personal protection, today unveiled its 2026 State of the Scamiverse report, highlighting the rise of digital scams in India. The research reveals that scams have become so realistic that many consumers don’t realize they’ve been targeted until it’s too late. From polished phishing messages to deepfake voice scams and malicious QR codes, fraudsters are increasingly able to blend their deceptions seamlessly into everyday interactions.

The report shows that 70% of Indians had their social media accounts compromised last year, reflecting how more sophisticated scam tactics have become. Indians are also increasingly cautious, with 82% of Indians surveyed by McAfee saying they are more wary of opening messages from unknown senders than they were a year ago, yet scammers continue to outpace even vigilant users through advanced tactics.

“Scammers are increasingly using AI and advanced digital tools to exploit trust and create a sense of urgency, from mimicking bank alerts to sending increasingly realistic messages on social media," said Pratim Mukherjee, Senior Director of Engineering, McAfee. “With scams becoming nearly indistinguishable from legitimate communications, awareness, skepticism, and strong online protection tools have never been more critical.” 

The growing sophistication of scams is reflected in data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C1 ), which reported that Indians lost an astounding ₹19,813 crore to fraud and cheating cases in 2025, with 21.77 lakh complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Notably, 77% of these losses were linked to fraudulent investment schemes, highlighting how scams are becoming increasingly complex and harder to detect.

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Scam Signs Are Harder to Spot

Modern scams are designed to mimic everyday interactions. Routine messages like delivery notices, subscription renewals, and bank alerts have become commonplace tactics scammers use to gain trust.

  • Indians reported seeing an average of 13 scam messages daily across text (4), email (4), and social media (5)
  • Nearly 1 in 5 suspicious social messages now include no links at all, eliminating traditional warning signs like suspicious or misspelled URLs
  • 66% of users replied to these linkless messages, potentially triggering the next step in a scam

Deepfakes 2.0: A New Layer of Deception

Deepfake technology, once confined to viral videos or political content, is now an everyday threat in India. Scammers are leveraging lifelike AI-generated voices and visuals to impersonate trusted individuals or organizations. From celebrities promoting fake investments to recruiters conducting convincing video calls, and even distressing messages from family members urgently asking for money, these scams are becoming increasingly difficult to identify.

  • Indians report encountering an average of 4 deepfakes per day
  • More than 1 in 3 Indians surveyed by McAfee say they aren’t confident they can identify a deepfake scam, and a similar share say they don’t feel confident protecting themselves if a deepfake targets them 
  • Deepfakes are most commonly seen on Instagram (65%) Facebook (59%), and also across YouTube (48%), Telegram (44%) and WhatsApp (41%)
  • 1 in 5 Indians say they’ve encountered a voice-clone scam, often impersonating loved ones, bank agents or government officials amongst others

Financial and Emotional Impact

The scam economy is growing rapidly in India, fueled by increasingly sophisticated fraud targeting consumers' finances, time, and emotional well-being.

  • 51% of Indians reported losing money to scams
  • The average loss was ₹93,915, significantly impacting families and individuals
  • In many cases, scams escalated quickly, with most scams completing in 30 minutes or less
  • Indians now lose 102 hours per year — nearly three full work weeks — evaluating messages to determine their legitimacy

Beyond financial losses, scams introduce anxiety and erode public trust:

  • 63% of Indians believe their personal information is more at risk today than a year ago
  • 24% of scam victims were targeted again within a year, underscoring how scammers exploit previously compromised individuals

McAfee’s Tips for Protecting Yourself From Modern Scams 

  • Pause before you act. If a message creates urgency or pressure, slow down and verify before you respond. 
  • Go direct. For account alerts, delivery issues, or government notices, go to the official website or app instead of clicking through via a link received in a message. 
  • Be cautious with QR codes. Avoid scanning random QR codes in public spaces, and preview links before you tap. 
  • Never share verification codes. Passwords, 2FA codes, and login approvals should never be shared with anyone. 
  • Use strong account security and AI-powered protection. Unique passwords and two-factor authentication, combined with AI-powered scam detection, can reduce the risk of account takeovers. 

For more info: https://www.mcafee.com/en-in/consumer-corporate/newsroom/press-releases/2026/20260204.html

Methodology 

This report combines insights from McAfee Labs threat intelligence and a global consumer survey. McAfee Labs continuously monitors scam activity across email, SMS, social media, browsing, and emerging AI-driven tactics using internal telemetry and threat detection signals, and the report also references publicly available data from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Sentinel Network. The online survey was conducted in November 2025 among 7,592 adults (18+) across seven countries: the United States, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan. 

About McAfee 

McAfee Corp. is a global leader in online protection for consumers. Focused on protecting people in an always-online world, McAfee’s solutions adapt to user needs, empowering individuals and families with secure, intuitive tools. For more information, visit www.mcafee.com.