Kenya’s fraud crisis is evolving: AI impersonation and account takeovers are the new normal
A new report details a massive spike in "vishing" and account creation fraud, with AI and social engineering fueling the fire...
✨ Key Highlights
A new TransUnion report reveals a significant surge in digital fraud in Kenya, with fraudsters aggressively targeting new account sign-ups and the gaming sector. Kenya faces a higher fraud risk compared to global averages, with methods becoming increasingly sophisticated, including AI-driven impersonation.
- 4.4 percent of all new online account creation attempts in Kenya in H1 2025 were flagged as suspected fraud.
- Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud product management at TransUnion Africa, emphasized the need for businesses to adopt proactive, layered defenses.
- The gaming sector recorded the highest suspected fraud rate at 10.4 percent, with a **49 percent** increase in volume year-over-year.
- 81 percent of Kenyans reported being targeted by fraud schemes, with "vishing" being the most common type, affecting 46 percent.
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Safaricom's M-PESA 'Fintech 2.0' Upgrade Adds AI Fraud Detection Amidst Report on Surging Digital Fraud in Kenya - November 2025
Safaricom has announced a major "Fintech 2.0" upgrade for M-PESA, introducing features like tap-to-pay, wallet sharing, and AI-powered fraud detection. The upgrade also transitions M-PESA to an "always-on" service, officially ending service downtimes that were previously required for system maintenance. This significant revamp aims to enhance both convenience and security for users. The addition of AI-powered security comes as a new TransUnion report reveals a significant surge in digital fraud in Kenya. The report notes that Kenya faces a higher fraud risk compared to global averages, with methods becoming more sophisticated, including AI-driven impersonation.
