46% of older adults have encountered a scam attempt. Here's what the latest data says

The scale in Poland

The numbers are no longer anecdotal. According to recent national studies, 46% of older adults in Poland have had direct contact with an attempt to steal money or personal data online. For many people it starts with a fake courier text, a suspicious call from a so-called bank adviser or an investment ad that looks unexpectedly professional.

Police statistics for 2024 show losses above 156 million PLN among older victims. That figure covers both classic scams, such as the grandchildren scam, and newer attacks based on fake investment platforms, spoofed bank numbers and AI-assisted social engineering.

Hungary shows a similar pattern

ODYSSEY works in both Poland and Hungary, and the Hungarian data points in the same direction. Financial fraud losses remain high, while exposure to suspicious online activity keeps growing among people who are only recently becoming more active in digital services.

The most common pattern is not technical hacking. It is emotional pressure: urgency, fear, secrecy and authority. Scammers do not need to break into a computer if they can make a person act before thinking.

Education changes behaviour

The encouraging part is that awareness among older adults is rising. Learners who have taken even short training sessions are more likely to verify the sender, avoid unknown links and pause before sharing codes or data. Once a safe routine is learned, many older adults follow it very consistently.

This is exactly why ODYSSEY focuses on practical routines instead of abstract theory. We train people to recognise the moment when a message feels urgent, suspicious or manipulative and to switch into a simple response pattern.

What the research review tells us

Our review of 25 research publications found a major gap: there are very few evidence-based programmes that combine cyber safety, financial safety and the emotional side of manipulation for older learners.

ODYSSEY was designed to fill that gap with short modules, simulations, printable checklists and language adapted to real-life situations in Poland and Hungary.