Nairobi — A staggering 82 percent of Kenyans were targeted by digital fraud between August and December 2024, a new report by global information and insights company TransUnion has revealed.
While most of those targeted managed to avoid falling victim, 11 percent reported that they did lose money to scammers, many through methods that have become all too familiar in the digital era.
The findings, drawn from TransUnion's H1 2025 State of Omnichannel Fraud Report, reveal a worrying trend of rising fraud attempts in Kenya's increasingly digital society.
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The survey, conducted between 21 November and 9 December 2024, highlights how fraudsters are taking advantage of Kenya's high mobile penetration rate currently at 133.7 percent to exploit unsuspecting consumers through various channels.
According to the report, the most common forms of attempted fraud included smishing, which involves fraudulent SMS messages designed to trick users into revealing personal information; phishing, which employs fake emails, websites, or social posts to steal data; and vishing, where scammers call victims directly and attempt to extract sensitive information.
Of those targeted, 39 percent encountered smishing attempts, 36 percent faced phishing schemes, and 33 percent experienced vishing calls.
Despite the high rate of attempted fraud, 19 percent of respondents said they were not aware of being targeted at all, a figure experts suggest may reflect underreporting or a lack of awareness, as some victims may not realize they've been targeted.
The report also reveals that nearly half of all respondents (45 percent) lost money to digital fraud in the past year.
Among them, 34 percent said their losses were due to scams involving third-party sellers on legitimate e-commerce platforms. Another 26 percent cited unemployment-related fraud, while 25 percent fell victim to account takeovers.
In terms of how Kenya compares with other African countries, the data shows that Kenya tied with Namibia for the second-highest percentage of reported victims in the region, each at 11 percent. South Africa topped the list with 13 percent, while Zambia reported the lowest number at 9 percent.
In Kenya, smishing was the most prevalent fraud tactic, whereas phishing led in South Africa and vishing was most common in Namibia.
Likewise, gaming emerged as the leading sector for suspected digital fraud attempts in 2024, recording a rate of 12.9 percent, which marks a 33.8 percent increase from the previous year.
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This represents a shift from 2023, when the logistics sector experienced the highest volume of suspected fraud attempts.
Other sectors such as retail, video gaming, insurance, and online communities also saw significant fraud activity, though most experienced year-on-year declines in volume.
Amritha Reddy, Senior Director of Fraud Solutions at TransUnion Africa, said the fraudsters' tactics reflect their understanding of local behavior.
"Kenya's high digital engagement makes it a ripe target for cybercriminals who exploit popular channels in specific regions," she noted.
"Cybercriminals exploit areas where people trust others, such as online gaming communities. The focus has shifted toward exploiting human behavior rather than just technological loopholes."
On average, Kenyan victims reported losing Sh116,108 to fraud in 2024.
While this is below the global median of Sh226,132, the figure underscores the personal financial toll that digital fraud continues to exact.
