Millions of first-time internet users are stepping into a more dangerous online world, BBC Swahili reports. Many lack the experience to spot the tricks scammers use. Protections such as digital safety training and anti-fraud measures have not kept pace with the growth in users.
About 2.6 billion people, roughly a third of the world's population, still cannot use the internet. If access keeps growing at the current pace, about 2 billion more will get online by 2030. For many, that will mean their first encounter with spam, ransomware and fake websites built to defraud them.
Anicet Etekpo, a security officer in Benin, learned this in 2022. He clicked a link sent on Facebook by someone he thought was a friend. He told the BBC the link took him to a scam site that asked for his personal details, including his bank account information. He lost a large sum of money. At the time, he had been using the internet for only a few years.
Etekpo said he felt unprotected and at great risk. He believes people are vulnerable less because they lack tech skills than because of trust. He said many people trust those who contact them online and act quickly without checking whether a message is genuine.
Zeki Turedi, regional chief technology officer at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, said cybercrime is becoming more professional and opportunistic. Criminals use automation, artificial intelligence and psychological tricks. They tailor scam messages to local language and culture and pose as local banks. They also promise fake government aid or push apps that hide spyware. Turedi said he expects this to grow as criminals adopt AI-generated content and deepfakes.
According to the BBC, criminals often coordinate on the dark web and through encrypted channels. Some groups sell cybercrime "starter kits" with ready-made phishing tools or stolen login data. That lets even low-skilled criminals join in. International law enforcement agencies warn that cybercrime is increasingly run like a business. The Global Cybersecurity Index report by the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) also highlights scams, phishing and rising ransomware attacks facing new users.
The BBC says the risk is greatest in Africa. The continent has some of the world's fastest internet growth but the lowest share of connected people. South Africa and Seychelles have access rates close to 80%. Rural parts of Benin and populous countries such as DR Congo still have large numbers of people offline. Satellite internet is expensive, and fixed-line networks are scarce and often unreliable.