One in 10 Irish shoppers have entered their payment details on a fraudulent website, thinking it was legitimate, in the past year, according to a survey by cybersecurity firm Ekco.
Just over a quarter (26pc) of consumers have found themselves on a fake website which was attempting to mirror a real one, they found.
Fear of cyber attacks has prompted one-in-five Irish shoppers to purchase fewer items online.
And 19pc say they have started to pay in-person and in cash when they can, rather than buying online.
Despite year-on-year growth in online spending, just 30pc of the 1,000 Irish shoppers surveyed in the research believe they know how to check if a retailer’s website is safe or not.
The research noted the desire for convenience could be making consumers less focused on security, with 31pc opting to store payment details on websites to save time during the check-out process.
Even though the shoppers surveyed showed naivety when entering private details into websites, many consumers are unforgiving when retailers suffer a cyberattack.
In the last 12 months, a quarter of consumers have avoided purchasing from, or using the services of a retailer because it suffered a cyberattack.
Two-thirds say they would stop shopping with a retailer permanently if their data was stolen in a breach, even if no money was taken, it said.
Retailers need to focus on the security measures are in place for its customers, according to Conor Scolard the director of cyber resilience at Ekco.
“It is vital that retailers have the robust infrastructure in place that enables them to assure customers that their data is safe, regardless of how they choose to pay, in-person, in cash, or online with or without stored card details.”
With Christmas shopping in full swing, the impact of cyberattacks is much greater, with potential to cause long-term damage to customers and businesses.
“As we have entered the busiest time of the year for shopping, retailers need to ensure that their systems can both stay online and protect customers’ data from cyberattacks,” Mr Scolard added.
“A cyberattack will not only have a negative impact on operations, but it can also cause lasting damage to a business’s reputation,” he said.
The research was carried out in October 2025.
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