Dear Party Leadership and Election Campaign Headquarters,

Ahead of the 26th Knesset elections, we propose including a clause in your party’s election manifesto addressing the systematic fight against remote fraud and the protection of citizens from its consequences. This issue affects all segments of the population and becomes increasingly significant and complex as digital services and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies develop.

Why is a systematic response required?

Remote fraud has taken on the dimensions of cross-border organized crime. According to Global State of Scams 2025 data across 42 surveyed countries, annual losses are estimated at approximately $442 billion, and 23% of respondents reported financial losses. In Israel, estimates of the population's financial losses from remote fraud are not yet published on a regular basis. However, official surveys by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) indicate that since 2021, there has been a sharp rise in remote offenses. Moreover, over the past three years, the proportion of victims has stood annually at 8%-9% of the country's adult population (aged 20 and over), meaning over 500,000 people per year. These figures are consistent with surveys conducted at the end of 2024 initiated by the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL), according to which 42% of study participants reported being targets of online fraud, and 55% expressed fear of falling victim to cybercrimes in the coming year. The Bank of Israel notes that the threat affects all population categories, but is particularly dangerous for individuals with low digital and/or financial literacy. These groups constitute a substantial portion of the country's population.
To organize attacks on the population, criminals use stolen personal information, advanced information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, and social engineering (effective methods of psychological pressure and manipulation). Attack scenarios are tailored to the current situation in the country. Thus, during an election period, a particular risk stems from the distribution of forged materials generated using artificial intelligence (Deepfake), which utilize the voices and images of politicians, as well as party symbols.
The consequences of remote fraud are not limited to financial losses alone: victims and their relatives experience severe psychological stress. Under the psychological influence of fraudsters, many victims are dragged into illegal activity without realizing they are acting in the service of criminals. Beyond this, these mass attacks undermine the public's sense of security and trust in the ability of state institutions to protect citizens. Therefore, given the current scale of the phenomenon, the consequences of remote fraud have become equivalent to those of terrorism.
Under these circumstances, the time is ripe to organize systematic work to curb the expansion of the problem and effectively protect the population from remote crime.

Possible directions for implementation in the election manifesto.

The findings of the joint working group of the Bank of Israel, the Israel Police, and the Ministry of Communications, published in April 2026, emphasize the need to establish a unified national headquarters that will formulate the strategy for combating remote fraud and oversee its implementation.
Among the practical solutions, one can propose the establishment of a special Knesset committee or another permanent parliamentary mechanism for management and oversight. Its duties will include organizing the formulation and implementation of the national strategy to combat remote fraud, legislative support for this activity, inter-ministerial coordination, and the ongoing evaluation and publication of the activity's results to the general public. To this end, it is appropriate to involve the Israel National Cyber Directorate, the Israel Police, the Bank of Israel, the Ministry of Communications, other relevant government ministries, banks, telecommunications operators, digital platforms, civil society organizations, and representatives from the expert community.
As part of this work, we propose examining, among other things, three integrated directions:

1. Legislation, oversight, and publicity: Assessing the effectiveness of updated privacy protection legislation; developing mechanisms for detecting and blocking phone number spoofing (Spoofing), phishing sites, fraudulent text messages, and fake advertisements; and, where necessary, closing legal loopholes that may be discovered. Additionally, collecting and publishing quarterly data regarding the number of victims and the population's financial losses as a result of remote offenses.
2. Encouraging innovation: Providing incentives for banks and information and communication service providers to develop anti-fraud systems to prevent fraud, create security products, and provide dedicated services to the public, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable groups. Supporting the development and implementation of advanced Israeli technologies for identifying and blocking fraudulent attacks.
3. Assistance to citizens:
   3.1 Developing a multilingual public awareness campaign regarding the dangers inherent in remote fraud.
   3.2 Informing the public about preventive measures that citizens should take to protect themselves.
   3.3 Organizing assistance for weaker segments of the public in implementing these measures, alongside providing psychological and social support to victims.
   This initiative is understandable to voters, has a clear social relevance, and is capable of strengthening citizens' trust in the state. It also allows for the unification of efforts by various parties around a practical problem that is independent of ideological boundaries.
   We would be happy to present additional sources of information and materials to illustrate the scale of the problem and provide professional expert support for the success of the initiative to address the aforementioned challenge of remote fraud.

Sincerely,
-Alex Kagelsky, Retired Israel Police Officer, Chairman of the National Federation of Immigrants.
-Dr. Vladislav Kontorovich, Rehovot, Head of the Remote Fraud Protection Department at the National Federation of Immigrants, former First Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia (2011–2013).
-Dr. Pyotr Shelyshch, Netanya, former Head of the State Duma of Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Knesset of Israel (1996–2007).
-Dr. Yigal Gutnick, CEO of the "Civil Compass" Association

References:

1. Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Policy Agenda 2026
2. Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL): Data presented in Knesset discussions.
3. Bank of Israel: Review of steps and the need for a national coordinator, May 7, 2025.
4. Bank of Israel, Police, and Ministry of Communications: Summary of cross-sector working group, April 15, 2026.
5. Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS): Personal Security Survey, link:
   cbs.gov.il