Africa's overall identity fraud rate declined marginally to 3.42% in the first quarter 2025, down from 3.50% in the first quarter 2024, according to new data from global verification platform Sumsub.
However, it said although traditional fraud methods such as document forging have declined across Africa, synthetic identity document scams have increased considerably in several key markets, indicating a significant shift in criminal tactics.
Sumsub said when examining major economies, the differences are particularly striking.
Nigeria’s fraud data presented a mixed picture: while the overall fraud rate saw a slight increase, many specific types of fraud decreased.
Notably, the document forgery fraud rate in Nigeria plummeted by roughly 80% year-on-year. South Africa experienced a decline in total fraud proportion, dropping by 26%, with the document forgery rate falling by over 73%.
In contrast, Ghana and Tanzania partly diverged from the regional trend; both recorded double-digit increases in their overall fraud rates (around 10% each), yet Ghana saw its document fraud rate decrease by nearly 50%.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s overall fraud rate fell by 15.5%, with document-forgery fraud declining by 45%.
Statistics, according to Sumsub, show that Africa is following the rising global trend in the production of fraudulent synthetic identity documents, but does not stand out from its counterparts.
It went on to say: “However, as we look at Q1 2025 fraud rates, the data indicates that some industries show alarmingly high proportions. For instance, for online dating and social media platforms, as well as professional and consulting services in Africa, almost 6% of all verification attempts were fraudulent in the last quarter.
"As for gaming, fintech, crypto and traditional finance, the identity fraud among those is also disturbing, constituting around 3-4% of all attempted Know-Your-Client checks.”
Hannes Bezuidenhout, Sumsub’s VP of sales for Africa, added: "Africa’s fraud landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Enhanced verification tools have decimated traditional document forgery, but criminals are adapting with synthetic IDs and AI-powered scams.
"While countries like South Africa show impressive progress, financial institutions must urgently prioritise digital identity threats. The data proves that fraud prevention is now a race between innovation and adaptation.”
Sumsub goes on to caution that to combat evolving fraud risks, businesses must adopt modern technology that ensures security while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards.
“Across Africa and other key markets, fraudsters are shifting from conventional scams to sophisticated synthetic identity document fraud, making robust verification solutions more critical than ever,” said the company.
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