Online Reporter
Sifelani Tsiko
Fact Check Editor
ONLINE scams and other Internet crimes are rising in Zimbabwe with many people falling victim to a whole range of dishonest schemes pushed up by rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI).
Losses suffered by locals run into thousands of dollars as fraudsters adopt a host of new tools to trick unwary individuals.
The Government, banks and companies are all sounding alarms while the public is wary with many reeling from dishonest schemes.
Scores of Zimbabweans are being duped into going to some form of jobs that leave them harmed, exploited, deceived and drawn into situations they regret. Online fraud spans many digital spaces in Zimbabwe.
Human trafficking
The most serious and rising problem is about deceptive recruitment schemes that are luring desperate Zimbabwean job seekers into human trafficking networks that leave them stranded and exploited in many parts of the world – in Africa, Middle East and Europe.
In recent weeks, the Government has stepped in, warning the public of criminal syndicates that are increasingly targeting citizens with false promises of lucrative employment opportunities.
Victims are often trapped in exploitative conditions including forced labour, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation.
These recruitment agencies operate in digital spaces outside Zimbabwe’s regulatory reach and this makes it harder for authorities to monitor and stop the perpetrators.
The agents often demand large upfront fees, refuse refunds, provide vague job descriptions or pressure candidates to travel immediately, especially when one-way flight tickets are offered.
The people are given enticing work contracts that promise instant wealth with little or no experience required. There is usually no verifiable office address by these agents.
What did the Government say?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade warned Zimbabweans to exercise caution when accepting foreign job offers:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade wishes to address recurring questions and concerns surrounding the increased cases of Zimbabwean nationals being lured to work under extremely unfavourable conditions in foreign countries, on the promise of lucrative employment contracts,” it said.
“The ministry warns Zimbabweans of the prevalence of fraudulent recruitment agencies, most of which operate in digital spaces and outside the regulatory jurisdiction of the country. These bogus agencies usually dangle attractive remuneration packages but are silent on the unfavourable working conditions and the personal sacrifices to be made by the recruits. In some cases, the jobs offered at recruitment are not what the recruits find themselves deployed into.
“The ministry reiterates its call for Zimbabwean nationals who may get an offer to work or study in a foreign country to contact the ministry or the nearest Zimbabwean Embassy or Consulate for assistance in verifying such offers, to avoid falling victim to scams, which in some cases may lead to injury or loss life.
“While the Government of Zimbabwe is fully committed to promoting, protecting and safeguarding the safety and welfare of its citizens living abroad, and continues to investigate cases where Zimbabwean nationals have issued distress calls after being scammed, citizens are strongly encouraged to heed the call for due diligence before committing themselves, to avoid situations that may lead to crises.”
Sierra Leone, Kuwait Trap
In 2024, more than 40 Zimbabweans were stranded in Sierra Leone after falling victim to a human trafficking syndicate, built around a local company working with a foreign outfit that lured them to the West African country with promises of lucrative jobs.
Locals were promised well-paying jobs, but upon arrival in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, they found themselves in a desperate situation.
The Government partnered with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to facilitate the repatriation of the more than 20 Zimbabweans who were stranded in Sierra Leone.
A similar arrangement was made for the repatriation of Zimbabweans who had been stranded in Kuwait and other Middle East countries.
Online banking scams
Online banking scams are also on the rise in Zimbabwe, with criminals targeting users through phishing, vishing (voice phishing), and fraudulent SMS (smishing) to steal credentials and syphon accounts. Most financial institutions such as CBZ, Stanbic, Nedbank, CABS and POSB among others regularly issue warnings regarding scammers impersonating bank officials.
In an online report, CBZ financial risk experts say phishing is a fraudulent attempt by fraudsters to deceive you into giving out personal information such as your bank account numbers, passwords and credit card numbers.
How does this scam work?
“The experts say a scammer contacts you out of the blue, pretending to be from a legitimate business such as a financial institution,” they said.
“You may be contacted by email, social media, phone call, or text message. Fraudulent emails may be designed to appear as though they are originating from a bank or any of its subsidiaries. “The emails will urge you to act immediately, usually asking for personal information. The phishing message might claim there is something wrong with your account or that your details need to be updated.”
Experts said people should not respond to any communications which request any type of personal or confidential information. They urge the public to not click on any links listed.
Bankers also caution that clients should never give out any information.
“Banks will never contact you and ask for you to enter online your login credentials or any personal or financial information such as Visa or debit card number,” the experts said.
“Fraudsters pretend to be well-known companies, be wary even if you think you recognize the sender. We will NEVER ask for your Internet Banking log on details or card details in an email.”
Here are some clues (cited by CBZ & other banks) for spotting a suspicious email from a real one:
We never ask you to confirm personal or financial information in an email or web site. We do not scare you with urgent warning messages and we never use email to warn you of suspicious activity on your account.
Scam emails often look odd, with a messy layout and spelling mistakes.
We never link directly to our Internet Banking log on page, or a page that asks for security or personal details.
Arrest of 11 Ecocash hackers:
In February, early this year, 11 suspects, part of a Chitungwiza-based hacking syndicate, were arrested for orchestrating a major EcoCash fraud scheme that stole over US$61,000 from users. The gang operated by sending fake “free data” links to social media groups, inducing users to enter their personal data and One-Time Pins (OTPs).
Name dropping scams
One of the other types of scams on the rise in the country is name – dropping – which involves fraudsters falsely citing well – known celebrities, Government officials, trusted people or colleagues to gain credibility, trust and ultimately money or personal information.
These scams often use AI voice-cloning and fake articles to appear legitimate, frequently targeting victims via social media and phone calls.
The Government recently issued a warning to the public regarding a rise in fraud cases involving individuals impersonating Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga and his wife, Miniyothabo Baloyi Chiwenga, in a scheme to extort money and sensitive information.
What did the Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba say?
“The Department of Presidential Communications warns and alerts the public to individuals impersonating and/or claiming association with the Office of the Vice President, Gen Rtd CDGN Chiwenga, and his wife, Col Miniyothabo Baloyi Chiwenga,” he said.
“These impostors are using, among other numbers, South African and Nigerian telephone numbers to contact citizens and foreigners, often with malicious intent and to solicit and extort money, services or personal information.
“We urge those affected to be vigilant and verify any communication purporting to be from the Vice President’s Office, or from his wife. Any and all official communication involving the Vice President, his Office or his household follows proper, official channels, and is handled by persons employed for that purpose.”
Mr Charamba identified the telephone numbers being used by the scammers, including +234 8083483315, +234 7038120794 and +277 25956982.
Cost of global digital fraud hits US$442 billion – INTERPOL
Online fraud is on the rise at local, regional and international levels reaching more victims and generating more losses than ever before through digital tools and organised networks operating across borders.
INTERPOL’s March 2026 Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment suggests that global losses in 2025 totalled US$442 billion.
