AI-Generated Scams Cause Financial and Emotional Harm in Bulgaria
A Visa-commissioned study reported that Bulgarians who cannot distinguish AI-generated content from authentic content are nearly four times more vulnerable to online scams, with victims losing an average of 281 lev per incident and the broader economy experiencing approximately 160.5 million lev in annual losses. Beyond financial harm, victims suffer emotional stress and reduced productivity.
What happened
A Visa-commissioned study by Opinium surveyed 9,500 adults across 11 European countries, including Bulgaria, in August and September 2025. The research found that AI-generated fake advertising and scams on social media are growing in scale and sophistication, making it increasingly difficult for people to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Bulgarians who confuse AI-generated content with real content are nearly four times more vulnerable to being targeted and defrauded than those who recognize the difference (58% versus 16%).
Reported impact
People who became victims of online scams in Bulgaria lost an average of 281 lev per incident, leading to approximately 160.5 million lev in annual economic losses.
The impact extends beyond financial losses, causing emotional stress, anxiety, and reduced productivity. Nearly a quarter of defrauded Bulgarians (26%) spent more than 24 hours resolving the incident. About one-third of scam targets (34%) now hesitate to engage with online financial services.
Index analysis
Bulgarians who share or post content online without verifying its authenticity are more frequently targeted and harmed by scams compared to those who verify beforehand (35% versus 22%). Nearly half of respondents (43%) rarely read more than headlines on social media or news sites before forming an opinion, and over a quarter (28%) have sometimes shared posts without checking their authenticity.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.