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Several key actions that could help are not yet on the table, including mobilising other political parties as well as civic society to fight anti-foreigner hysteria.
On Tuesday, Deputy Executive Mayor Thyrone Williams and Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) Ricardo van der Merwe represented the GOOD party at a special municipal function held in the Council Chambers, alongside Executive Mayor Ald Marius Koen.
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South Africa had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud[1] among African countries analysed, with 3.0% of transactions involving consumers in South Africa being suspected of digital fraud during 2025 – slightly below the global average of 3.8%.
In 2025, the median reported fraud loss among South African consumers who said that they had lost funds to digital fraud (email, online, phone call and text messages) in the previous year, was R11,055 – the second highest in Africa, after Kenya, and well below the global median of R27,879.[2]
These are among the findings in the TransUnion H1 2026 Update: Top Fraud Trends report, which shows that South Africa’s digital fraud landscape has become more complex, with generative AI likely accelerating the scale and sophistication of criminal activity. This has enabled fraudsters to target both consumers and businesses with greater precision and speed.
South African consumers are increasingly facing co-ordinated, identity-driven and cross-channel attacks similar to those seen in mature digital economies. As a result, digital fraud has shifted deeper into the consumer journey: one third (33%) of South African consumers who said they lost money from digital fraud in the last year reported those losses stemmed from third-party seller scams on legitimate ecommerce platforms. This indicates that losses are not occurring because consumers transacted in a suspect or unsafe environment – but because fraudsters successfully embedded themselves into environments that appeared credible, familiar and trusted.
“This signals a market where criminals are exploiting established trust, active accounts and verified digital relationships, and is a clear break from global fraud patterns typically dominated by phishing and vishing – fraudulent phone calls or voice messages designed to deceive consumers into sharing sensitive information or sending money,” said Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud product management TransUnion Africa. “In South Africa, fraudsters succeed where trust is already established, particularly inside mainstream digital platforms where consumers reasonably expect safety and legitimacy.”
“Criminals are weaponising both consumer trust and emerging technologies,” said Reddy. “As GenAI accelerates the sophistication and scale of criminal operations, the threat landscape is evolving faster than ever for consumers and businesses. Addressing this requires a new generation of identity centric defences that combine advanced analytics, adaptive authentication and multilayered digital fraud detection. Organisations must match fraudsters’ technological innovation to stay ahead of rapidly changing schemes.”
Chart 1: Most Prominent Cause of Fraud Loss
Percentage reporting losing money to these schemes among South Africans who said they lost funds from digital fraud in the last year.
| Type of Fraud | Percentage of Consumers Reporting Losing Money to Fraud Type Among Those Who Said They Lost Money to Fraud in the Last Year |
| Third-party seller scams on legitimate ecommerce sites |
33% |
| Social engineering |
26% |
| Account takeover |
24% |
| Stolen credit card or fraudulent charges |
24% |
| Money mule |
23% |
| Identity theft |
22% |
| Phishing (fraudulent emails, websites, social posts, QR codes, etc. meant to steal personal information) |
21% |
| Smishing (fraudulent text messages meant to steal personal information) |
19% |
| Vishing (fraudulent phone calls or voice messages meant to steal personal information) |
16% |
| Unemployment benefits |
15% |
Source: TransUnion consumer survey
Most Fraud Attempts Occur at Account Login
The suspected digital fraud rate for attempted transactions where the consumer was in South Africa declined from 4.3% in 2024 to 3.0% in 2025, a trend also observed globally. Nevertheless, this decrease does not necessarily indicate reduced criminal activity; rather, it may reflect a shift toward AI-enabled tactics designed to maximise return on investment.
South Africa is one of the few markets where the highest rate of suspected digital fraud attempts* happen at account login, with 3.0.% of account login attempts being flagged as potentially fraudulent, compared to 2.4% at account creation and 0.7% of financial transactions. This trend suggests that attackers are increasingly trying to compromise existing accounts, in contrast to other countries globally where new account creation is a key focus for fraudsters.
“This inversion tells a powerful story that criminals in South Africa are now targeting access using compromised credentials, SIM-swap-enabled entry and social engineering to take over existing accounts,” said Reddy. “This means that vendors and financial institutions need to expand their fraud prevention strategies beyond the new customer onboarding phase, continuing to implement verification throughout the consumer lifecycle – but without the unnecessary friction that will see genuine consumers seeking alternative sites.”
Findings from the survey also show that consumers most preferred top feature when choosing whom to transact with online is confidence that their personal data is secure, with 85% of respondents saying it was very important. This was followed by an easy payment process (80%) and ease of filling out forms or applications (72%).
“The fact that security is the top reported feature shows that consumers are willing to accept friction when completing digital transactions, provided it’s clearly linked to protection,” Reddy said. “As a result, security in South Africa is evolving beyond compliance and emerging as a key driver of brand trust and differentiation.”
Government Sector Most Affected by Digital Fraud Attempts
Suspected digital fraud attempts across Africa[3] in 2025 showed fraudsters focusing on very different industries depending on the country, reflecting local digital behaviours and opportunity points. Globally, the most vulnerable industry was video gaming, where 12.8% of transactions were suspected of digital fraud attempts. Across African countries analysed, gaming also recorded the highest suspected digital fraud rate, driven by Kenya, where 15.6% of gaming transactions were flagged – the highest rate observed for any industry in Africa.
In South Africa, the rate of suspected digital fraud where the consumer was in the country was the most prevalent among government transactions, at 12.5%, highlighting risks tied to public-sector digitalisation.
“Digitalisation has improved access to public services, but it has also created new risks for fraud,” said Reddy. “Fraudsters are leveraging official government branding and service-related messages to impersonate the state and deceive citizens.”
Chart 2: Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts in South Africa, by Sector
| Industry |
Suspected Digital Fraud Attempt Rate 2025 |
Change in volume of suspected digital fraud attempts from 2024 to 2025 |
| Government |
12.5% |
+46% |
| Gaming (online sports betting, poker, etc.) |
11.5% |
+124% |
| Insurance |
7.8% |
+32% |
| Video gaming |
5.5% |
-29% |
| Financial services |
5.3% |
+16% |
| Communities (online dating, forums etc.) |
3.7% |
-42% |
| Logistics |
1.9% |
-98% |
| Retail |
1.1% |
-61% |
| Telecommunications |
0.6% |
-94% |
| Travel & leisure |
0.1% |
-78% |
“South Africa has entered an advanced fraud phase where criminals exploit trust, operate across channels and target established digital relationships rather than weak entry points. Fraud is increasingly occurring inside legitimate marketplaces and impersonated public services, while risk remains consistently highest at login, as it has been on an annual basis.”
“As criminals increasingly weaponise new technologies to carry out sophisticated scams, it’s more important than ever for consumers to safeguard their personal information and to review their credit reports regularly,” said Reddy.
“For businesses, the call to action is clear: fraud strategies must extend beyond compliance and onboarding controls to actively protect trust across the entire digital journey. Organisations that invest in adaptive authentication, identity intelligence and visible security at moments of access will be best positioned to reduce fraud, preserve customer confidence and differentiate their brands in South Africa’s digital economy,” she added.
TransUnion came to its conclusions about digital fraud based on a global survey of 12,730 consumers in 18 countries and regions from Nov. 20–Dec. 9, 2025, and intelligence from its array of TransUnion fraud prevention solutions. To learn more about how TransUnion fraud prevention solutions can help businesses avoid fraud and prevent fraud losses, click here.
Specific country and regional data in the report includes South Africa, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. Download the TransUnion H1 2026 Update to the Top Fraud Trends Report for more information and insights about the global fraud trends.
[1] Suspected digital fraud attempts reflects those which TransUnion clients determined met one of the following conditions: 1) denial in real time due to fraudulent indicators, 2) denial in real time for corporate policy violations, 3) fraudulent upon client investigation, or 4) a corporate policy violation upon customer investigation. The country and regional analyses examined transactions in which the consumer or suspected fraudster was located in a select country or region when conducting a transaction. Global statistics represent every country worldwide and not just the select countries and regions.
[2] Exchange rate calculated at R16.69 to the US dollar as per the exchange rate for 29 December 2025.
[3] TransUnion analysed the suspected digital fraud rate in its global intelligence network for the African countries of Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia.
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TransUnion’s Q1 2026 Consumer Pulse Study highlights more deliberate financial behaviour
South African consumers are adjusting their financial behaviour in response to ongoing cost pressures, with TransUnion's Q1 2026 Consumer Pulse Study[1] revealing meaningful shifts in how households spend, save and manage credit. While many households remain under financial strain, the findings point to a shift toward more deliberate and considered financial decision-making.
The study found that inflation for everyday goods remains the leading financial concern, cited by 41% of respondents as their top financial worry. 35% of consumers indicated that they expect to be unable to pay at least one of their current bills or loans in full.
Against this backdrop, consumer sentiment remains measured. More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents said they are optimistic about their household finances over the next 12 months, down from 72% in Q4 2025, while 14% expressed pessimism and 17% indicated they are neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
“Consumers are not necessarily experiencing financial ease, but they are responding in practical ways to manage pressure,” said Ayesha Hatea, director of research and consulting at TransUnion South Africa. “What we are seeing is a shift toward more deliberate financial behaviour, where households are actively adjusting spending, prioritising obligations and, where they can, building financial buffers.”
Spending Pullbacks and Savings Adjustments Take Hold
In response to continued financial pressure, many South Africans have adjusted their financial behaviour over the past three months. More than half of the respondents (51%) reported cutting back on discretionary spending such as dining out, travel and entertainment, while 31% said they cancelled subscriptions or memberships.
At the same time, some households report taking steps to strengthen their financial position in the past three months. The study found that 35% of respondents said they paid down debt faster, while 29% reported increasing contributions to emergency savings or stokvels. A further 23% said they increased their retirement savings.
“These behaviours reflect a more cautious and intentional approach to money management. Consumers are looking for ways to maintain stability, whether by reducing non-essential expenses, managing debt more actively or setting aside funds for future needs,” said Hatea.
Financial Outlook Reflects Cautious Confidence
Despite ongoing affordability challenges, the study points to cautious consumer expectations at the time it was conducted. The research was carried out in late February, prior to recent geopolitical developments and ahead of the most recent South African Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announcement, which left the prime lending rate unchanged. Emerging global market volatility may further shape consumer sentiment and financial behaviour going forward.
More than one in three consumers (35%) expect their spending on bills and loans such as housing, utilities, insurance and credit cards to increase over the next three months. The same percentage (35%) anticipate higher spending on medical care and services during that timeframe. Additionally, 38% expect to increase contributions toward retirement funds and investments. Conversely, a smaller percentage said they’d increase their spending on in-store or online retail shopping such as clothing, electronics and durable goods (29%), large purchases like appliances and cars (26%), digital services (25%) and discretionary spending (21%).
“This pattern suggests that consumers are prioritising essential and future-oriented expenses, while remaining more selective in discretionary areas. It reflects a mindset where financial decisions are being made with greater scrutiny,” said Hatea.
Credit Remains Important, but Caution is Evident
Access to credit continues to play an important role in how consumers manage their finances. However, when it comes to new credit products, TransUnion’s survey indicates that households are approaching borrowing more carefully in the current environment.
Among respondents, 41% indicated that they have used Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services in the past year. For those who have used BNPL, avoiding credit card interest was a key motivation, while non-users most frequently cited avoiding additional debt as the top reason for never using BNPL.
“The role of credit is evolving,” Hatea said. “Consumers still rely on it to manage cash flow and navigate short-term pressures, but there is also a clear awareness of the need to avoid overextension. That balance between access and caution is becoming more important.”
Adapting to a More Demanding Financial Environment
The quarterly findings point to a consumer environment defined less by financial comfort and more by ongoing adjustment. While sentiment has softened slightly from the previous quarter, many South Africans are actively managing their finances amid ongoing cost pressures.
“Rather than a broad sense of financial confidence, we are seeing a more grounded and pragmatic approach,” said Hatea. “Consumers are making deliberate trade-offs to stay on top of their obligations and build resilience where possible. As economic uncertainty persists, the ability to adapt spending, savings and credit behaviour is likely to remain a defining feature of the South African consumer landscape.”
Consumers can get their free annual credit report from TransUnion here.
[1] Methodology: Online survey of 992 South African adults conducted 10–23 February 2026 by TransUnion in partnership with Dynata.
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