The fraud environment in Mozambique during 2025 was characterized by a high volume of digital scams that exploit the country’s rapidly increasing mobile connectivity, combined with deep-seated institutional corruption that leads to massive public losses.
For the general population (high volume, frequent reports), the number one scam is related to Telecommunications and Mobile Money Fraud.
The Number One General Scam: Social Engineering via Mobile & Telecom Fraud
This category includes various tactics that deceive the victim using their mobile phone, a device nearly everyone in Mozambique uses, given that mobile money accounts per 100 adults exceed 100%.
Vishing and Smishing: Scammers frequently impersonate officials from banks, mobile network operators, or even government agencies (like the National Institute of Communications of Mozambique, INCM). They create a false sense of urgency (e.g., claiming an account needs urgent verification) to trick victims into giving away PINs, passwords, or One-Time Passwords (OTPs).
Prize and Money Transfer Fraud: As reported by the INCM, there is a growing wave of fraudulent messages concerning fake prizes and money transfers. The victim is often asked to pay a small fee or provide personal details to claim the non-existent prize.
SIM Swap Fraud: This high-tech component allows fraudsters to fraudulently exchange SIM cards to gain control over a user’s phone number. Since bank and mobile money accounts are verified via SMS, a successful SIM swap grants the criminal access to drain the victim’s digital accounts.
Mozambique’s mobile phone operators reported significant losses (Meticais 63 million in 2024, continuing into 2025) due to these types of telecommunication fraud, highlighting the pervasive nature of these scams.
While the mobile scams affect the most people, the largest individual losses in the country stem from:
Public Procurement and Corruption Fraud: Trials and investigations continued throughout 2025 related to massive state-level fraud and embezzlement, notably the $2.2 billion “hidden debt” scandal involving former government officials and international banks. This type of high-level corruption severely damages the national economy.
Internal Corporate Fraud: A 2025 survey revealed that 88% of companies in Mozambique faced internal fraud, with the main issue being internal collusion in payment fraud, underscoring systemic vulnerabilities within corporate governance.