Press Release
GCA, with Support from Amazon, Launches CyberFlex to Help Young Adults Avoid Scams and Cybercrime
(Translated versions of the press release are available in French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.)
NEW YORK, NY, 12 June 2024. Today, the Global Cyber Alliance and Amazon announced the launch of CyberFlex, a website that helps 18- to 25-year-olds avoid scams and cybercrimes. CyberFlex contains targeted information including free tools, interactive guides, and text alerts to prevent, mitigate, report, and recover from scams and other cyber risks. CyberFlex aims to raise awareness, shift attitudes about online risks, and provide easy steps to help young adults protect themselves and share their stories.
Developed with insights from a globally diverse group of young advisors, CyberFlex’s themes, content, and messaging are designed specifically for 18- to 25-year-olds and will be delivered on the platforms they use. Like-minded organizations are invited to support, promote, and use CyberFlex.
“We assume ‘digital natives’ can avoid scams and risks online, but data shows the opposite. Instead, they are a growing target for cybercriminals. CyberFlex engages them where they live online and provides valuable resources to build a more trustworthy Internet,” said Brian Cute, GCA’s Chief Operating Officer.
“Scammers that attempt to impersonate trusted brands put consumers of all ages at risk,” said Scott Knapp, Director of Worldwide Buyer Risk Prevention at Amazon. “Amazon is committed to protecting consumers from impersonation scams and is proud to continue our collaboration with the Global Cyber Alliance to provide resources that help young adults identify, avoid, and report scams. Scammers use convincing tactics to reel people in, which is why education around scam avoidance is critical to keeping consumers safe.”
A Global, Collaborative Effort
CyberFlex builds on a GCA and Amazon collaboration to foster consumer education addressing scams among young Internet users globally.
We conducted surveys, focus groups, and independent research on habits, risk perception, and awareness, knowledge, and personal experience with scams. We found that despite young adults’ online experience, they are highly susceptible to impersonation, investment, cryptocurrency scams, and other threats. The data highlighted and validated that young adults are overconfident, confused by scams, do not report incidents, and have growing privacy concerns.
GCA and Amazon will host webinars on June 18 and 26 with end users and industry partners, and a Japanese version of CyberFlex will launch later this year. Organizations interested in helping are urged to contact GCA.
About GCA
The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international nonprofit dedicated to building communities to deploy tools, services, and programs that provide cybersecurity at global scale. We achieve this in three ways: working with communities; engaging infrastructure owners and operators; and driving strategic mobilizations for collective action on cybersecurity.
