Kenya records a spike in cybercrime with 72% targeted between April and June

Data has shown a spike in digital fraud in the country, with more than 70 per cent of Kenyans targeted during the three months leading up to June this year.

Findings by information and insights firm TransUnion show that 72 per cent of respondents reported being targeted by digital fraud schemes in the past three months but avoided falling victim.

"However, another eight per cent were targeted and fell victim," TransUnion's Consumer Pulse Survey Q2 reads.

In the period under review, awareness of fraudulent schemes was significantly high; only 20 per cent of consumers reported being unaware of any fraud schemes targeted at them. The lack of awareness was lowest among the younger generations.

"In Q2 2024, vishing (fraudulent phone calls to extract data) emerged as the most prevalent scam, as cited by 45 per cent of respondents, surpassing money or gift card scams at 44 per cent," the report reads.

On the other hand, smishing (fraudulent text messages targeting data extraction) rose by 44 per cent, an increase of four percentage points from Q2 last year.

Vishing scams (a cybersecurity attack in which the perpetrator attempts to gain access to sensitive data over the phone) also increased by five percentage points compared to last year.

A stock photo of mobile phone users. (Photo: Courtesy)

Additionally, phishing (encompassing fraudulent emails, websites, social posts, QR codes, etc. intended for data theft) rose by three percentage points to 36 per cent.

Consumer concern regarding sharing personal information remained significant at 91 per cent in Q2 2023, albeit down from 94 per cent last year.

Nevertheless, concerns about sharing personal information were prevalent across all generations.

The primary concerns related to sharing personal information included invasion of privacy (81 per cent) and fear of identity theft (67 per cent).

As a result, TransUnion has emphasised the necessity for robust security measures and consumer education to uphold trust in digital platforms and encourage greater use of digital services among Kenyan consumers.

"As the digital economy continues to grow, safeguarding personal information will be paramount in fostering trust and promoting the benefits of digital services across Kenya," it says.

According to the TransUnion 2024 State of Omnichannel Fraud Report, in 2023, the country experienced a 10.2 per cent digital fraud rate in the online gaming sector.

Furthermore, the study shows that there has been an accelerating rate of digital fraud in other sectors of the country, such as retail, financial services, telecommunications, travel & leisure, and communities (online dating, forums, etc.).