NAIROBI, Kenya — The Government has stepped up efforts to combat mobile-enabled fraud after new analysis showed that mobile money featured in 51 of 102 computer-fraud cases reviewed between February and July 2026.
The findings by the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) show the growing role of mobile financial services in Kenya’s evolving cybercrime landscape, with mobile money identified as either the payment method or destination in half of the cases examined.
The analysis was presented during the NC4’s 36th meeting chaired by Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo, amid renewed calls for Kenyans to exercise greater caution when conducting financial transactions online.
Mobile money fraud tops reported schemes
Mobile-money fraud emerged as the largest single category, accounting for 19 cases, or 18.6 per cent of the 102 cases reviewed.
Investment and forex scams followed with 16 cases (15.7 per cent), while cryptocurrency-related schemes accounted for 12 cases (11.8 per cent).
The analysis also identified telecommunications and SIM-related indicators in 23 cases, representing 22.5 per cent of the cases reviewed.
The figures point to the increasing intersection between mobile communications, digital financial services and organised fraud.
The Government said response efforts will focus on closer monitoring of high-risk mobile-money transactions and improved cooperation with telecommunications providers to ensure suspicious transactions and digital evidence are acted upon more quickly.
Fraud cases surged between May and July
The NC4 analysis showed that reported cases accelerated significantly toward the middle of the year.
A total of 70 cases, equivalent to 68.6 per cent of the six-month total, were recorded between May and July.
July registered the highest monthly volume, with 27 cases reported.
The Government said the trend underlines the need for faster identification of fraud networks and stronger coordination between law enforcement agencies, financial service providers, telecommunications companies and cybersecurity institutions.
Authorities also want faster action against fake websites, impersonation accounts and other online platforms used to defraud members of the public.
Government targets investment and cryptocurrency scams
Beyond mobile-money fraud, authorities identified investment, forex and cryptocurrency schemes among the leading categories.
The NC4 has therefore called for stronger intelligence gathering around these schemes, which often promise users unusually high or guaranteed financial returns.
Members of the public have been urged to exercise caution when responding to online investment, cryptocurrency, shopping and recruitment offers.
Authorities warned Kenyans against disclosing PINs, passwords, one-time passwords (OTPs) and other authentication credentials.
The Government also encouraged users to activate multifactor authentication where available and report suspicious phone numbers, accounts, websites and transactions to service providers, regulators and law enforcement agencies.
Kenya records 2.3 billion cyber events
The cyber-fraud figures come against a broader backdrop of persistent cyber threats targeting Kenyan institutions and individuals.
The Kenya Computer Incident Response Team–Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT/CC) reported 2.3 billion cyber events, representing a 30 per cent decline from the previous quarter.
Despite the decline, authorities said ransomware, social engineering, malware, distributed denial-of-service attacks and AI-assisted attacks remain among the major threats facing the country.
KE-CIRT/CC attributed the reduction in cyber events partly to continued collaboration between institutions and implementation of cybersecurity advisories.
Government website hit by zero-day vulnerability
The Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) also briefed the committee on the defacement of a Government website following the exploitation of a critical zero-day vulnerability affecting its content management system.
Digital forensic investigations are underway to support further investigations and possible prosecutions.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of public digital infrastructure as government services increasingly move online.
AI raises concern over political misinformation
The NC4 meeting also examined the growing use of artificial intelligence and synthetic media in online mobilisation.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) warned that ethnically charged narratives could be amplified through AI-generated and synthetic content, fake accounts and automated bots.
Authorities said the speed and cross-platform spread of harmful content makes monitoring increasingly difficult and could deepen social divisions and undermine public confidence.
However, the committee stressed that the Government’s cybersecurity and information-integrity measures should protect the public space without restricting legitimate political discourse.
Government promises stronger cybercrime enforcement
The Government said fraud complaints will continue to be investigated and offenders prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The meeting brought together senior Government and security officials, including Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, ICTA CEO Jessy Kiveu Maruti and NCIC CEO Daniel Mutegi Giti, alongside other members of the NC4.
Omollo reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to improving cybersecurity through stronger institutional coordination, faster incident response, digital investigations and prosecution.
The Government also plans to strengthen protection of critical information infrastructure, increase public awareness and build the capacity of law enforcement agencies to respond to cybercrime.
The measures are expected to support implementation of the Kenya AI Strategy 2025 and broader national development priorities.
What the latest figures mean for mobile-money users
The fact that mobile money featured in 51 of the 102 cases reviewed underscores the importance of treating mobile financial transactions as a major cybersecurity concern.
For users, authorities are urging greater vigilance, particularly when receiving unsolicited calls, messages, links or investment offers.
The Government’s warning comes as fraudsters increasingly exploit trusted communication channels and digital payment systems to obtain money or sensitive information.
With reported fraud accelerating between May and July, authorities are now seeking closer cooperation with telecommunications and financial-service providers to detect suspicious activity, preserve evidence and disrupt fraudulent transactions more quickly.
The Government has also urged members of the public to report suspected fraud promptly rather than attempting to resolve cases privately.
