A staggering 82% of Kenyans reported being targeted by email, online, phone call, or text message fraud between August and December 2024, according to a recent TransUnion survey. While most did not fall victim, 11% of those targeted unfortunately lost money.
The data, part of TransUnion’s newly released H1 2025 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report, reveals that smishing (fraudulent text messages), phishing (fraudulent emails/websites), and vishing (fraudulent phone calls) were the most common methods fraudsters used to trick consumers.
“Kenya has a 133.7% mobile phone penetration rate, with people using mobile phones to conduct their everyday business, so it’s easy to understand why digital fraud would be such a common tactic among fraudsters targeting this region,” said Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud solutions at TransUnion Africa. “Cybercriminals will attack at any time using any channel, but they appear to focus on channels most popular in the regions they are targeting.”
In a separate question, nearly half (45%) of Kenyans surveyed admitted to losing money to email, online, phone call, or text messaging fraud in the last year. Third-party seller scams on legitimate online retail websites were the most reported cause of financial loss (34%), followed by unemployment fraud (26%) and account takeovers (25%).
Specifically in Kenya, gaming experienced the highest suspected digital fraud attempt rate in 2024 at 12.9%. It showed a 33.8% increase in the volume of suspected digital fraud from 2023. This marks a shift from 2023, when logistics transactions were the most targeted industry. While some industries like telecommunications, insurance, and video gaming saw decreases in suspected digital fraud volume year-over-year, the overall trend underscores the evolving tactics of fraudsters.
“It is encouraging to see that attempts at digital fraud have decreased across all but two of the surveyed industries in Kenya,” Reddy noted. “Organizations that draw on identity, device and behavioral insights to help them interact with legitimate consumers while mitigating fraud risk are more likely to protect themselves and their customers from the scourge of digital fraud.”
The cost of fraud to consumers is substantial. Among consumers surveyed across 18 countries, the median amount lost due to fraud in the past year was Ksh. 226,132. For Kenyans who reported losing money, the median stated amount lost was Ksh. 116,108.