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Zambia may be among Africa’s lower-risk markets for digital fraud, but fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting consumers through scams that exploit trust and familiarity, a new report has revealed.
According to the TransUnion First Quarter 2026 Update: Top Fraud Trends Report, just 1.1 percent of digital transaction attempts involving Zambian consumers in 2025 were suspected to be fraudulent, significantly below the global average of 3.8 percent.
Despite the relatively low rate, the report warns that criminals are changing tactics, moving away from traditional cyberattacks and embracing more sophisticated schemes that rely on deception and consumer trust.
The report combined findings from a TransUnion consumer survey with data from the company’s global intelligence network to track emerging fraud patterns across different markets and digital channels.
Read more: Zambians targeted by rising digital fraud, says TransUnion report
TransUnion Africa Senior Director of Fraud Product Management, Amritha Reddy, said Zambia’s fraud profile reflected the country’s growing adoption of digital financial services, mobile money platforms, e-commerce and online public services.
“Zambia remains a lower-to-mid fraud risk market within Africa, reflecting growing but uneven digital adoption across banking, mobile payments, e-commerce and public services,” Reddy said.
She cautioned, however, that the country was entering a phase where fraud risks tend to increase alongside expanding financial inclusion.
“Global trends show that fraud does not wait for full digital maturity. It emerges early as trust in mobile and financial systems grows faster than identity, authentication and oversight controls,” she said.
The report found that while overall fraud levels remained comparatively low, the financial consequences for victims could be severe.
Consumers who reported losing money through digital fraud, including scams conducted via email, online platforms, phone calls and text messages, recorded a median loss of K8,198.
Although this was the lowest median loss among the African countries surveyed, TransUnion noted that the amount still represented a significant financial setback for many households.
A major concern highlighted in the report was the rise of third-party seller scams on legitimate e-commerce platforms.
About one-third of Zambian consumers who lost money to digital fraud in the past year said the losses resulted from fraudulent sellers operating on trusted online marketplaces.
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