Protecting tomorrow’s leaders: Why businesses must act on scam prevention today

With digital threats growing in scale and sophistication, young adults are increasingly being targeted by scammers who exploit their online habits and financial inexperience. In this guest blog, Gill Thomas, Director of Engagement for Capacity and Resilience at Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), explores why students, apprentices, and early-career professionals are particularly vulnerable – and how businesses can empower the next generation with the tools and knowledge to stay safe.

In today’s interconnected world, scams targeting young adults are becoming both sophisticated and relentless. These criminals continuously adapt their methods, exploiting the digital-first lifestyle, financial vulnerabilities, and limited real-world experience of students, apprentices, and early-career professionals. This means proactive preventative action is essential to safeguard future professionals and ensure long-term digital resilience.

Effective scam prevention demands more than basic awareness campaigns. It requires actively equipping young adults with practical cybersecurity tools and resources that speak their language. Businesses can play a critical role as they’re uniquely positioned to foster safer online behaviours among young people through strategic initiatives.

The growing threat – why young adults are prime targets

Young adults, whether students or early in their career, consistently attract the attention of scammers. Despite being digitally savvy, many young individuals can be overconfident in their ability to spot online threats. This, paired with limited financial literacy and constant digital engagement, makes them especially susceptible to scams. A report by UK-based NatWest Group found that “young adults aged 18-24 were most targeted by scams [in 2024] with 55% approached by scammers in the last 12 months and 60% either experiencing financial loss themselves or knowing someone who has.” This metric alone should be enough to make clear the urgent need for a concerted international effort in not only educating young adults about scam prevention and cybersecurity but arming them with tools to protect themselves as well.

Corporate responsibility meets cybersecurity – the role of businesses

Businesses around the globe are in an excellent position to influence the digital safety and prowess of young adults. By embracing scam prevention and cyber hygiene initiatives, companies not only bolster the ability for tomorrow’s generation of leaders, employees, and customers to recognise and avoid scams and cybercrime, but they also demonstrate genuine corporate social responsibility (CSR), reinforcing trust and building lasting relationships with the youngest members of the workforce and their customer base.

Proactively supporting scam prevention education and efforts reflects positively on corporate reputations, helps safeguard against fraudulent financial loss and potential operational disruption, and demonstrates a firm commitment to delivering a safer online environment that everyone should enjoy.

Furthermore, initiatives in cybersecurity and scam prevention extend beyond consumers. Employees benefit in their professional and personal lives, businesses reduce internal risk, lower financial fraud, and enhance overall organisational cybersecurity awareness. This highlights that scam prevention isn’t merely goodwill; it's prudent and responsible operational management, ultimately leading to a safer internet for all.

CyberFlex – a ready-to-use scam prevention resource

Acknowledging the unique needs and communication preferences of young adults, the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), with support from Amazon, developed CyberFlex, a cybersecurity solution tailored specifically to those aged 18 to 25. CyberFlex serves as a secure, engaging space where young adults can learn how to better protect themselves in a digital landscape, develop their awareness around online threats, and test their knowledge with interactive tools. Additionally, CyberFlex empowers them to share personal experiences, valuable insights, and actionable tips surrounding cybersecurity and scam prevention.

The strength of CyberFlex lies in the fact that it was intentionally designed and built with input from young adults who gave input on feature design, tested messaging effectiveness, and contributed insight into the initiative, making it approachable and relevant to the intended audience.

Rather than simply disseminating cybersecurity concepts into walls of text which is likely to lose the attention of younger individuals, the platform conveys cybersecurity tips, interactive knowledge testing tools, a scam alert text messaging feature, and best practices in visually appealing, easy to digest methods that the under-30 crowd will find more engaging. This approach to communicating scam awareness, digital literacy, and cybersecurity knowledge in relatable language and content that resonates is key to effectively garnering the attention of younger users for more than just a few seconds.

Similarly, organisations and companies integrating CyberFlex into their onboarding, outreach programmes, or customer education strategies find immediate value in reinforcing digital safety. By embedding such initiatives into standard processes, businesses directly contribute to building more resilient, digitally savvy individuals who are less susceptible to scams and cyber threats.

The takeaway – a call to action for businesses worldwide

The urgency to address the vulnerability of young adults to scams cannot be overstated. Investing in scam and fraud prevention education, and putting practical solutions in the hands of users today, lays the foundation for a secure digital environment in the years to come, ultimately helping to secure a sustainable and safe digital landscape for future generations.

The time for action is now. Businesses must act decisively, joining forces and implementing proactive educational and actionable solutions like CyberFlex will help foster a secure, resilient, and scam-aware generation. The collective commitment of businesses worldwide will shape a safer, brighter digital future for everyone.

Contact us for more information on how GCA partners to deliver impactful change and tangible differences through global initiatives such as CyberFlex.

For more advice and support on how to help young people spot and stop scams online, visit Cifas’ dedicated page here.