Based on a representative sample made up of 1,007 individuals, the Index of Perception of Fraud in Portugal drawn up by the Observatory of Fraud Economy and Management (OBEGEF) of the Economy Faculty of the University of Porto indicates that 81 percent of those questioned “feel that, in general terms, fraud increased or increased a lot in the last year”.
Among the types of fraud considered to be major (3.8 on a scale of 1 to 5 in which 5 means ‘major’) are giving and receiving bribes, and tax fraud. The perception of an increase in fraud is greater for giving and receiving bribes than for other types.
The study also indicates that woman have a greater perception of fraud than men, with housewives the category in which this perception is at its greatest, while students are the category where it is the least.
By region, Portuguese living in the interior and south of the country have a greater perception of fraud, against residents in the coastal North and Centre.
Among those questioned, about half perceived the effectiveness of the justice system in combating fraud as small (33 percent) or medium (29 percent). A majority took the view that the media have given more coverage to fraud, with 58 percent saying it had increased somewhat and 13 percent that it had increased a lot in the past year.
In terms of their own personal experience, 18 percent said that they had been a victim of fraudulent proceedings, while 21 percent said they were not aware of any such phenomenon.