Nearly three in four Danish adults encountered scams as estimated losses reach kr10.1 billion
Blog ·
The Hague, October 6, 2026 – Nearly three in four (74%) Danish adults encountered a scam in the past year, up from 67% in 2025, according to the State of Scams Denmark 2026 report from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), developed in collaboration with Punktum dk.
The Hague, October 6, 2026 – Nearly three in four (74%) Danish adults encountered a scam in the past year, up from 67% in 2025, according to the State of Scams Denmark 2026 report from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), developed in collaboration with Punktum dk.
Based on research among 2,210 adults living in Denmark, the report estimates that scams cost Danish consumers kr10.1 billion over the past year. Those who lost money reported an average loss of kr33,614.
Despite widespread confidence in recognizing scams, exposure continues to grow. Nearly three quarters (73%) of Danish adults say they are confident they can recognize a scam, yet 74% encountered one in the past year, equivalent to an average of 96 scam encounters per person annually.
The research also shows how exposure can progress into financial harm. Among those who encountered a scam, 38% interacted with it, and one in four of those who interacted ultimately had money stolen, either after giving money directly to a scammer or sharing personal information that was later used to steal money.
For those who become victims, the consequences often extend beyond a single incident. More than half (55%) of those who lost money said they had been scammed more than once in the previous 12 months, with victims experiencing an average of 2.4 incidents. Meanwhile, 62% said being scammed had affected their mental wellbeing.
“Danish consumers are clearly alert to the threat of scams, with 73% confident they can recognize one. Yet exposure continues to rise, and scams are still causing billions of kroner in losses. Awareness remains essential, but it needs to be supported by stronger prevention and intervention from the organizations across the scam journey.” - Jorij Abraham, Managing Director, GASA.
"The nature of fraud in Denmark has changed. Fewer people are fooled by the very simple tricks, and the fraud cases that succeed now cost the individual citizen significantly more. The average loss has multiplied, and it underlines that we are facing professional hackers with extremely sophisticated methods", says CEO of Punktum dk A/S, Jakob Truelsen, and continues "even though the Danish part of the internet is among the safest in the world, the report emphasizes that continued efforts are necessary. And this applies to everyone who plays a role, as Punktum dk does, as the telecommunications sector does, as the financial sector does, but also as all of us who use the internet. We must get used to being even more sceptical".
Scams are also increasingly being identified through outside intervention. Nearly half (49%) of victims discovered they had been scammed after being informed by someone or something else, compared with 35% in 2025. Banks and payment providers were the most common source of these alerts, with 29% of victims saying their bank or payment provider informed them.
Reporting does not always lead to the same outcome. Among victims who reported their losses, 44% had at least some money recovered or reimbursed. However, 27% said their report was acknowledged, but no further action was taken, while 18% said no action was taken as far as they knew.
The findings also point to strong public support for preventative measures. Nearly three quarters (74%) support allowing banks to block transactions they believe may be scams, while 59% support allowing telecom operators or messaging apps to block calls and messages they believe to be malicious.
The State of Scams Denmark 2026 examines scam encounters, interactions, financial and emotional impact, reporting and prevention. The research was conducted through a 15-minute online survey of 2,210 adults aged 18 and over living in Denmark, nationally representative by age, gender and region. Fieldwork took place between March 16 and April 13, 2026.
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect consumers worldwide from scams. GASA brings together policymakers, law enforcement, consumer authorities, NGOs, the financial sector, telecom operators, internet platforms and service providers, cybersecurity and commercial organizations to share insights and knowledge surrounding scams and implement meaningful solutions.
Punktum dk is the administrator of all domain names ending in .dk. Since 1999, the organization has been responsible for the Danish domain namespace, maintaining the .dk domain database and helping ensure the reliable operation of the Danish part of the Domain Name System (DNS). Punktum dk also works to strengthen online security and ensure that everyone can have confidence in .dk domains.