Almost 8% of Ghanaians with mobile phones who received scam calls or texts ended up sending money to fraudsters, according to the World Bank’s 2025 Global Findex Report.
The report revealed that 32% of Ghanaian mobile phone users received scam messages but did not send money, while 48% did not encounter scams at all.
“In a few economies, however, mobile phone owners have both high levels of exposure to scams or extortion and a high tendency to send funds, including Gabon, Ghana, and Senegal,” it stated.
Globally, the findings noted that while women are not overall more likely than men to receive or respond to scams, targeted consumer awareness interventions have proven effective in reducing victimization.
“For example, a study in Uganda that employed interactive games, delivered through interactive voice response, to teach people about fraud decreased the shares of both women and men falling for scams,” it cited.
The World Bank underscored the need for stronger legal and digital frameworks, highlighting that only 53 out of 190 economies impose criminal penalties for cyber harassment. It urged legal reforms to treat online harassment with the same seriousness as physical harassment.
“At the same time, tailored training programs in digital literacy for vulnerable populations particularly women, adolescent girls, and marginalized communities can help build preventive capacity by teaching users to recognize warning signs and employ privacy-enhancing settings on their mobile phones,” the report suggested.
It further recommended creating accessible, confidential reporting channels with transparent processes to enable victims to seek help without stigma, as part of international efforts such as the UN’s Global Digital Compact aimed at securing a safe digital future for all.
