Study finds 55% of Pakistani consumers faced financial scams in the past year, while 82% use AI for shopping

Around 55% of consumers in Pakistan experienced a financial scam during the past year, even as 82% reported using artificial intelligence tools while shopping, according to Visa’s annual Stay Secure study. Despite the growing use of AI in online commerce, fewer than half are willing to allow AI agents to complete purchases on their behalf.

The survey found that consumers most commonly used AI to compare prices, cited by 56% of respondents, followed by checking product reviews or ratings at 53% and finding gift ideas at 47%.

About 93% said technologies such as AI-powered tools had made online shopping faster and easier, while 55% reported discovering new brands or retailers during their online shopping journeys.

Despite wider adoption, only 42% said they would trust an AI agent to complete the checkout process, indicating continued caution over automated transactions.

The study was conducted by Wakefield Research and assessed consumer awareness and behaviour related to digital commerce, fraud, AI-supported shopping and social commerce in Pakistan.

Fraud concerns

Around 55% of respondents said they had experienced a financial scam during the past 12 months.

Among consumers who encountered fraud, 44% said the incident occurred on social media, a higher share than those reporting scams through websites, online marketplaces or shopping applications.

At the same time, 65% believed AI had made scams easier to identify, while 87% expected the technology to play an important role in protecting consumers from fraud in the future.

The survey also raised concerns over children’s exposure to online scams.

Around 77% of consumers said children in their lives found it difficult to recognise scams, while 33% had seen a child fall victim to fraud while gaming or shopping online.

The study found that 44% of Pakistani parents had children with access to mobile payment applications or digital wallets.

When asked who should bear primary responsibility for protecting people against online shopping fraud, 49% named payment providers and online marketplaces.

Government authorities or regulators were identified by 36% of respondents, followed by banks and financial institutions at 31%.

Only 13% believed consumers themselves should hold the main responsibility for preventing fraud.

Leila Serhan, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for North Africa, Levant and Pakistan at Visa, said consumers were adopting the convenience offered by AI-supported shopping but remained cautious about allowing the technology to carry out transactions.