Survey underscores the reality that scammers follow "scalable opportunities and low friction," rather than rich targets that tend to be better protected.

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Dark Reading

A GASA report reveals that 77% of South Africans encountered scams in the 12 months leading up to early 2025, with 42% losing real money — averaging $130 per victim. Extrapolated across the adult population, this amounts to roughly $2.3 billion lost to scammers. South Africa ranks fifth globally for daily scam encounters, with an average of 258 attempts per person per year. Experts attribute the high targeting rate not to wealth but to lower fraud detection maturity, weaker enforcement, and high automation enabling scammers to prioritize scale and low friction over maximum payout. Law enforcement reporting rates are the lowest on the continent, and only 21% of victims recover any money. Analysts argue that coordinated cross-border enforcement and disrupting financial rails are more effective than high-profile raids.

More Than 40% of South Africans Were Scammed in 2025