SPAIN is being hit by scams with 77% of adults saying that they have encountered an attempt in the past year, according to the State of Scams Report 2026 by GASA, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.
This is a 13% increase on 2025 and shows that fraud in the country is on the rise.
It is estimated that €6.65 billion was lost in Spain due to scams with one in four Spaniards who interacted with a scam having lost money or personal data. The average victim lost €1,811.
Of these affected individuals 58% say that the experience affected their mental wellbeing with 46% having been scammed more than once.
This highlights a pattern of revictimisation and suggests that perpetrators are targeting those who are vulnerable.
Despite the rising number of people falling for fraud, only 4% of those that have encountered a scam reported it to the authorities with most more likely to inform their friends or family than the police.
When victims do share their stories they are rarely taken seriously; just 25% said that their case was investigated and only A QUARTER of those investigated said they were reimbursed or had money recovered.
These statistics come as AI-driven fraud is becoming a major concern.
Impersonations of banks, delivery companies, public bodies and family members using cloned voices have all been reported.
The report says that banks are viewed as the most effective source of anti-scam information with 29% valuing their bank or payment-provider guidance more than any other resources.
Spanish adults want their banks to have a bigger input in preventing scams with three quarters supporting measures that would see the companies block suspicious transactions and calls.
It is not solely adults who are being affected by this fraud, 12% of parents with children aged between seven and 17 have said that at least one child has been scammed.
The impact of this crime goes beyond monetary value with the report highlighting how perpetrators cause stress, distrust, family tension and blame.
“Spain has seen a sharp evolution in scam tactics over the past year, particularly those combining social engineering with AI-generated content,” explained Georgi Medzhidiliev, from Spain-based tech company AnyTech365. “Criminal groups are increasingly impersonating banks, delivery companies, public institutions, and even family members through highly convincing voice messages, cloned identities, and fraudulent SMS campaigns.”
He added investment scams linked to cryptocurrency and fake celebrity endorsements also continue to adapt quickly, often exploiting current events or economic uncertainty to create urgency and trust.
“In response, Spain has strengthened collaboration between law enforcement, financial institutions, telecom providers, and cybersecurity organizations,” insisted the CTO of the firm, based in Marbella.
Public awareness campaigns have become more practical and behaviour-focused, teaching citizens how to recognize manipulation techniques rather than only warning about specific scams. Banks and telecom operators are also introducing stronger verification mechanisms, suspicious transaction monitoring, and coordinated fraud reporting channels.
“One important lesson from recent initiatives is that scam prevention cannot rely solely on technology,” continued the Bulgarian expat, who has worked for the anti-fraud software site for over a decade. “Even advanced detection systems are less effective if users are pressured emotionally or psychologically manipulated. The most promising approaches combine rapid information sharing, digital literacy, and real-time fraud detection.”
But he warned that a major challenge remains the speed at which criminal networks adapt to new technologies, especially generative AI.
“Future progress will depend on faster international cooperation, improved disruption of scam infrastructure, and continued public education that evolves as quickly as the threat landscape itself.”
The Global Anti Scam Alliance, of which AnyTech365 is a steering member alongside Microsoft, Amazon, Visa and Google, was set up in the Netherlands in 2022. It hosts annual conferences on fraud and is trusted by over 20,000 anti-scam professionals worldwide.
The organisation counts on Andrei Skorobogatov, a former UK government expert, who leads the organization’s global policy agenda and engagement with governments and regulators.
Prior to joining GASA, he served for nine years in the UK Government, including as Head of Strategy and International Fraud Policy at the Home Office, shaping national and international approaches to fraud prevention.
For more information visit www.gasa.org or www.anytech365.com
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