SA may Surpass the ‘Nigerian Prince,’ Becoming Africa’s New Cybercrime Capital

A surge in cybercrime activities can be witnessed in South Africa, which poses a threat to surpass the notorious “Nigerian Prince” scams and make SA the continent of Africa’s epicenter of this crime. Notably, the rise is despite the passing of the Cybercrimes Act in SA. 

Rise in Cybercrime 

A recent TGC Forensics report highlights the spike in cybercrime activities. It notes that there has been a 356% increase in identity frauds between April 2022 and April 2023, citing a report by Southern African Fraud Prevention Services.

According to Jackie Smith, head of the Buyers Trust – a subsidiary of Ooba Group – South Africa is vulnerable due to a number of variables, including economic growth and a quickly evolving digital environment.

He further noted that cybercrimes are rather “easy to commit,” and that around 90% goes unreported. 

“Cybercrimes can be committed by anyone with access to a cellphone and an internet connection, making these crimes incredibly easy to perpetrate[…]And, with only an estimated 10% of cybercrimes reported to the police, criminals feel they can operate without consequence,” he added. 

In regards to the Cybercrimes Act bill, which was signed in June 2021, media law experts claimed that the act missed opportunity. He said that although the act sought to address important problems South Africa faced, the language employed was “broad

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