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Zambia has recorded the highest rate of suspected digital fraud at the account creation stage globally, according to the new TransUnion®️ H2 2025 Update to the Top Fraud Trends Report.
The report shows that 11.5 percent of all account creation attempts by Zambian consumers in the first half of 2025 were suspected to be fraudulent, compared to the global average of 8.3 percent.
Drawing on proprietary data from billions of transactions across more than 40,000 websites and mobile applications, combined with a consumer survey conducted in 18 countries, the report indicates that digital fraud is intensifying in several markets, including Zambia.
“Digital fraud is increasing in Zambia with AI-driven fraud and synthetic identities emerging as significant threats,”Senior Director of Fraud Product Management Amritha Reddy said.
She stated that: “As mobile and internet penetration grow, fraud risks are expected to increase.”
Globally, digital account takeover attempts continue to rise sharply.
According to the report, account takeover volumes increased by 21 percent between the first halves of 2024 and 2025, and by 141 percent since 2021, signalling growing sophistication among fraudsters who are exploiting stolen credentials and bypassing security systems.
“As account takeover fraud surges, businesses can no longer afford solely reactive defences,” Reddy said.
“The growing sophistication of fraudsters demands a proactive investment in layered security and identity intelligence. In today’s threat landscape, protecting customer accounts is not just a priority, it’s a business imperative,” she said.
Gaming Sector Most Targeted Globally; Financial Services Lead in Zambia
Globally, the video gaming industry registered the highest rate of suspected digital fraud in H1 2025 at 13.5 percent, a 28 percent increase from the previous year.
Within Zambia, financial services recorded the highest rate of suspected digital fraud attempts at 1.9 percent, followed by online gaming and retail, both at 1.2 percent, according to TransUnion’s global intelligence network.
Despite the elevated risks, the report shows that suspected fraud volumes declined sharply across most sectors in Zambia between H1 2024 and H1 2025, with retail recording a 94 percent drop, gaming 63 percent, and financial services 68 percent.
Reddy said organisations must prioritise advanced fraud prevention tools.
“The report highlights that business leaders rank identity verification, device reputation and behavioural biometrics as the leading three fraud prevention technologies,” she said.
She added that educating consumers remains essential: “Businesses and financial institutions should also invest in sustained education and awareness campaigns to mitigate against schemes like account takeovers.
Preventing fraud must by necessity be a multi-pronged strategy… Zambia can chart a path toward a secure and inclusive digital future.”
High Exposure to Scams Among Zambian Consumers
The consumer survey shows that 85 percent of Zambians reported being targeted by email, online, phone or SMS fraud between February and May 2025, compared to 48 percent globally.
Money and gift card scams were the most common form of fraud experienced in Zambia, reported by 49% of respondents. Other frequently cited schemes included smishing (42%), phishing (35%) and vishing (31%).
Zambia also recorded a 9 percent victimisation rate, aligning with Rwanda but lower than South Africa (13%) and Kenya (10%).
“By leveraging data intelligence, AI-driven fraud prevention, cross-sector collaboration and public education, Zambia can outpace emerging threats and build a digital ecosystem rooted in trust,” Reddy said.
She stated: “As scammers continue to evolve their tactics… it’s more important than ever for consumers to regularly review their credit reports.”
The report includes country-specific data for Zambia and 24 other markets across Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia.
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