Omanghana
A survey of mobile money users in Ghana has found that 82.9% reported exposure to fraud, raising concerns about security and public confidence as digital payments continue to grow.
The Ghana Digital Economy Outlook 2026 surveyed 1,112 people across all 16 regions. Of those respondents, 88.9% said they used mobile money.
The fraud figure refers to users surveyed who reported exposure; it does not mean that all of them lost money. The report also found that only 7.3% of respondents felt very secure online.
The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations and the German development agency GIZ, and carried out by MGA Consulting Ghana Limited.
Financial Losses and Recovery
The findings add to concerns about fraud affecting Ghana’s expanding digital financial services sector.
INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026 estimated that Ghanaians lost US$1.3 million to mobile money fraud in the first quarter of 2025. The report identified mobile money fraud as a widespread online threat across Africa.
Separately, the Bank of Ghana’s 2025 fraud report showed that banks and specialized deposit-taking institutions recovered approximately GH¢3.7 million, or about 5%, of the GH¢68.2 million reported as the value at risk from fraud.
That recovery figure covers fraud across those institutions and is not limited to mobile money transactions.
How Fraudsters Target Users
Fraudsters use tactics such as deceptive calls and messages, fake investment offers, phishing links and SIM-swap attacks to gain access to accounts or persuade customers to transfer money.
Criminals are also using artificial intelligence to make some fraudulent messages and impersonation attempts more convincing, according to INTERPOL.
Calls for Greater Protection
The Ghana Association of Banks has called for stronger information sharing among banks, financial technology companies, payment service providers and mobile money operators to help identify suspicious transactions and improve recovery efforts.
The Bank of Ghana has also advised customers to protect their mobile money PINs, banking passwords and one-time passwords. It says legitimate financial institutions and mobile money operators will not request those credentials through phone calls, text messages, emails or social media.
Customers have been urged to verify investment offers, avoid suspicious links, monitor transaction alerts and promptly report suspected fraud to their financial institution or service provider.
Source: Omanghana
