Protect Yourself From Vishing Fraud

Did you know suspected digital fraud attempts increased globally by 80% from 2019 to 2022 — with Kenya's financial services sector experiencing a staggering 309% rise? The rise of digital technologies and online transactions means scammers have more opportunities to trick consumers into revealing personal information. We don't want you to fall victim to these fraudulent activities. In this post, we'll show you how to protect yourself from vishing and other digital fraud attempts in Kenya.

The stats are shocking

Most recently, the TransUnion 2023 State of Omnichannel Fraud Report revealed cybercriminals targeted 42% of Kenyan consumers from Sept. to Dec. 2022. Clearly, consumers and businesses need to take proactive steps to protect themselves.

The top fraud (It's not what you may think)

According to the report, Kenyans are most worried about phishing, account takeovers, identity theft and third-party seller scams on legitimate online retail websites. However, vishing (aka voice phishing where scammers use the phone to trick victims into revealing personal information) is the most common at 41%. 

How to protect yourself

1. Be aware: Educate yourself about vishing attacks and how they work. Organisations can also help by educating users to better identify and report these attacks.
2. Recognise tactics: Be cautious of callers claiming to be from the government, tax department, police or your bank — pressuring you to send money immediately.
3. Ignore unknown numbers: If you receive a call from an unknown number, let it go to voicemail. If it's important, they'll leave a message.
4. Never share private information: Don’t give any caller sensitive information — regardless of where they claim to work.

Take action

We’ve noted how much digital fraud attempts are rising in Kenya, with vishing the most common attack. If you fall victim, immediately report it to the companies where the fraud occurred, freeze your accounts with them — then alert TransUnion Kenya to protect your data.

Take control

By taking these simple steps, you can help foil fraudsters and keep your personal information safe. You can also visit TransUnion Customer Support to learn about our powerful personal information monitoring and fraud prevention solutions.