TransUnion’s latest research reveals that in 2025, suspected digital fraud involving consumers in Botswana stood at 0.9% of transaction attempts.
This figure is notably below the global average of 3.8% and marks the lowest rate across African nations included in the analysis. While there has been a year-over-year decline in suspected fraud both locally and worldwide, fraudsters are evolving, increasingly employing sophisticated, high-trust scams designed to bypass conventional defenses.
These insights come from the TransUnion H1 2026 Update: Top Fraud Trends report, which leverages a global intelligence network to monitor shifting fraud patterns across various markets and digital platforms.
“Botswana has not experienced widespread fraud, but the nature of fraud risk is beginning to shift,” said Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud product management at TransUnion Africa. “As digital services become more formal and widely trusted, fraudsters are increasingly targeting these environments. This is a natural stage of digital growth and highlights the need to strengthen protections as confidence in digital services expand.”
The study highlights that in Botswana, the highest incidence of suspected digital fraud in 2025 occurred during account creation, with a rate of 2.6%. This was followed by account login attempts at 0.8% and financial transactions at 0.5%. Despite the overall lower fraud rates compared to 2024, these figures underscore vulnerabilities at specific points in the digital consumer lifecycle, particularly where fraudsters seek to create or manipulate identities.
Botswana’s fraud profile reflects a digital market in its early to mid-stage, where onboarding remains the most exposed phase. This pattern aligns with broader trends across Africa and globally, where digital identity systems are still maturing.
“Experience from other countries shows that this phase does not last indefinitely,” Reddy explained. “As consumers build longer term digital relationships with banks, retailers and service providers, fraud risk tends to move beyond onboarding toward login and account access, often through impersonation or credentials misuse.
“The key takeaway for Botswana is timing,” she added. “Strengthening onboarding and early-stage identity checks now can help prevent more complex fraud patterns emerging as digital adoption accelerates. Early safeguards can make a meaningful difference as the digital ecosystem matures.”
Among sectors examined, retail transactions in Botswana showed the highest rate of suspected digital fraud attempts in 2025, at 1.9%. This was followed closely by online gaming, including sports betting and poker, at 1.8%, and financial services at 1.1%.
“Globally and across Africa, fraud often emerges as informal activity gives way to structured, trusted digital services,” Reddy noted. “As Botswana continues its transition toward regulated digital ecosystems, it is following well-established international patterns. Embedding security early helps manage risk as adoption grows.”
The report underscores the importance of vigilance from both consumers and businesses. Consumers can reduce their risk by protecting personal information, being wary of unsolicited communications, and regularly monitoring their credit reports for irregularities.
For organizations, the findings emphasize that combating fraud requires more than compliance. It demands active measures to safeguard trust throughout the consumer journey, especially at account creation and at points where fraudsters exploit established relationships through scams and impersonation.
“Botswana has the advantage of foresight – the global fraud playbook is already written,” Reddy said. “The opportunity now is to act before the next phase arrives.”
TransUnion’s insights are drawn from a global survey conducted between November and December 2025, involving 12,730 consumers across 18 countries and regions. These findings are supplemented by data from TransUnion’s fraud prevention solutions.
For a deeper dive into the evolving fraud landscape, the full TransUnion H1 2026 Update: Top Fraud Trends report is available for download, featuring data from Botswana alongside countries including Brazil, Canada, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
About TransUnion
TransUnion is a worldwide information and insights company with over 13,000 employees across more than 30 countries, including Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia. The company strives to build trust in the marketplace by providing accurate, actionable consumer data. Beyond credit, TransUnion delivers innovative solutions in marketing, fraud prevention, risk management, and adva