The landscape in 2026: current risks for financial services consumers
07/04/2026
The OECD’s “Consumer Finance Risk Monitor 2026”Abre en ventana nueva report sets out an overview of the main risks related to financial products for the general public. It highlights how digitalisation, the emergence of increasingly sophisticated products and economic instability mean consumers need to keep a close eye on their finances.
Financial scams and fraudAbre en ventana nueva are seen as the biggest issue by most of the countries surveyed, with 69% of them reporting an increase in scams between 2024 and 2025. The most common forms are phishing, vishing and smishing (techniques to steal personal data) and fraudsters posing as financial institutions. The report warns that artificial intelligence is making these types of fraud increasingly difficult to spot.
Many people rely on loans or credit cards to cover their everyday expenses and, while these can be helpful, they may also lead to over-indebtedness. Products such as “buy now, pay later” can make it harder to understand the true cost of borrowing. The most frequent complaints concern fees and charges, lack of disclosures and debt collection practices.
Supervisory authorities have also identified unsound practices such as poor advice, inadequate suitability or creditworthiness assessments (to check whether the customer can arrange or repay a loan) and the sale of inappropriate products for the customer.
Most countries have reported low levels of financial literacy as a risk, which results in consumers sometimes not fully understanding how the products or services they take out work. And if their digital skills are limited, it becomes even harder to get to grips with new and complex financial products.
As a result, digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies, can pose risks for non-specialist consumers, as almost 80% of participating countries warn. Moreover, 70% of countries have reported a rise in consumer complaints in recent years.
The OECD suggests several measures to enhance consumer protection, including stronger legislation, better market monitoring and empowering consumers through financial literacy initiatives and access to digital tools. It also recommends updating rules to adapt them to new products and technologies, and assessing whether policies genuinely improve people’s financial well-being.
