Impact of Digital Media Awareness on Financial Fraud Detection In Pakistan

Abstract

This study examines how Digital Media Awareness (DMA) influences Fraud Detection Ability (FDA) in Pakistan’s digital finance landscape, with Digital Financial Literacy (DFL) as a mediator and age, education, and prior victimization as moderators. Data from 81 adult digital banking users show moderate DMA and FDA but low DFL. Regression analysis reveals that both DMA and DFL significantly predict FDA, explaining 58% of variance. DFL partially mediates the relationship, while all three moderators significantly strengthen the positive effect of DMA on fraud detection. The key implication is that awareness alone is insufficient practical financial skills and demographic/experiential factors are essential. The study calls for integrated educational interventions combining media literacy, financial training, and experiential learning to build consumer resilience and a safer digital financial ecosystem in developing contexts