Gen Z is being targeted by a new kind of financial risk: text scams. And the problem is growing fast.
Consumer Reports recently featured insights from CGK President Jason Dorsey on this emerging issue, highlighting how text-based scams have become one of the most common—and overlooked—financial threats facing Gen Z.
While most generations are familiar with phishing emails or suspicious phone calls, today’s scammers are reaching young adults where they live and communicate most: through texting and direct messages.
Why Gen Z Is More Vulnerable
According to Jason’s insights shared in the article, several factors make Gen Z especially at risk:
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Texting and direct messaging are their primary communication channels, used for everything from socializing to scheduling.
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Group chats and threads often include unknown or unsaved numbers, blurring the line between friends and fraudsters.
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Instant access to digital cash apps and payment platforms makes it easier than ever for scammers to exploit quick, impulsive transfers.
What makes this even more concerning is that these small-dollar scams have become so common that they often feel normal to Gen Z. Over time, that normalization could have a lasting impact on how this generation views digital trust and financial risk.
Why It Matters
At CGK, we see this trend as part of a larger generational shift in how financial confidence and trust are being shaped. Gen Z is growing up in a world where money moves at the speed of a text message—and the risks move just as quickly.
For leaders, parents, educators, and marketers, understanding how these experiences influence Gen Z’s attitudes toward security, finance, and communication is critical.
Learn More
We’re grateful to Consumer Reports for spotlighting this important issue and for including Jason’s insights in the story.
To explore deeper insights on Gen Z’s behaviors, values, and emerging trends, check out CGK’s annual State of Gen Z® Report or our latest bestselling book, Zconomy.
You can also read the full Consumer Reports article by clicking here.
Together, we can help the next generation stay informed and one step ahead in a rapidly changing digital world.
