The internet is opening doors for millions of people who previously had limited access to digital services. From online banking and education to social media and digital government platforms, getting connected can transform everyday life. But there is another side to this rapid expansion: new internet users are entering a digital environment where scams, identity theft and AI-assisted cybercrime are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

For experienced users, a suspicious link or unexpected message might raise immediate concerns. For someone navigating online services for the first time, recognising the warning signs is not always so straightforward. As digital connectivity expands, an important question is emerging: are cybersecurity protections keeping pace with the growing number of people coming online?

The Growing Risk Facing First-Time Internet Users

The expansion of internet access has created opportunities for communication, education, commerce and access to essential services. However, becoming connected does not automatically mean someone knows how to stay safe online.

People who have spent years using digital platforms may already recognise suspicious login pages, unexpected payment requests or messages pretending to come from trusted organisations. New users may not have developed the same awareness.

This creates opportunities for cybercriminals who increasingly rely on social engineering, impersonation and manipulation rather than technical attacks alone.

Fraudsters can pose as banks, government agencies, employers, friends or familiar contacts. Their messages are often designed to create urgency, encouraging recipients to respond before questioning whether the communication is genuine.

A 2022 incident involving Anicet Etekpo, a security officer in Benin, illustrates how easily trust can become a vulnerability.

Etekpo told the BBC that he clicked a Facebook link sent by someone he believed was a friend. The link directed him to a fraudulent platform requesting personal information, including his bank-account details. He subsequently suffered a significant financial loss.

Etekpo later described feeling vulnerable and argued that the problem was not simply a lack of technical knowledge.

His experience highlights an important issue: people can become victims of online fraud when they trust a familiar contact or organisation without independently verifying the communication.

Even experienced internet users can encounter these situations, but the consequences may be particularly difficult for people who are still learning basic digital security practices.

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Africa’s Growing Internet Population Faces a Major Cybersecurity Challenge

The challenge is especially significant in Africa, where internet adoption continues to expand but connectivity remains considerably below the global average.

According to the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2026 Facts and Figures, approximately 42% of Africa’s population was using the internet in 2026. Globally, the estimated figure stood at 76%.

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The ITU estimates that 6.3 billion people were using the internet worldwide in 2026, while approximately 2 billion remained offline.

These figures demonstrate both the scale of digital expansion and the number of people who have yet to gain access.

However, the digital divide involves more than smartphone ownership or internet availability. Affordability, digital skills, connection quality and access to meaningful online services also influence whether people can participate safely and effectively in the digital economy.

This creates a wider challenge for communities where internet access is expanding faster than opportunities to develop digital skills.

Without adequate cybersecurity awareness, new users may find themselves navigating online banking, payment services and social platforms without understanding the risks associated with sharing personal information.

INTERPOL Report Reveals How AI Is Changing Cybercrime in Africa

The risks are becoming more complicated as cybercriminals adopt increasingly sophisticated technologies.

INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, released in August, found that artificial intelligence was linked to 55% of reported cybercrime across Africa, based on data gathered from 36 African INTERPOL member countries.

The organisation said AI was helping criminals make attacks faster, more scalable and harder for victims and platforms to detect.

The assessment also identified online scams as the most reported type of cybercrime in 2025. Criminals were increasingly using mobile-money platforms, social media and AI to reach potential victims.

Another concerning finding was that 72% of surveyed countries reported the presence of scam centres.

INTERPOL also reported that cybercrime-related losses in Africa had increased from $192 million in 2024 to $484 million. This figure represents losses measured in the assessment and should not be confused with the much larger estimates associated with individual multinational operations or broader cyber incidents.

Why AI-assisted scams are becoming harder to recognise

Artificial intelligence does not create every online scam, but it can make established criminal techniques easier to deploy on a much larger scale.

Criminals can use automation to generate messages, adapt language, personalise their approaches and produce convincing fraudulent material. AI-generated images, audio and video can also make impersonation more difficult to identify.

A message containing obvious spelling mistakes or suspicious wording may be relatively easy to question. However, a carefully localised communication using familiar language, realistic branding and information relevant to its recipient can appear much more convincing.

INTERPOL’s assessment describes this development as part of an increasingly industrialised cybercrime ecosystem.

Rather than operating only as isolated individuals, criminal networks increasingly rely on specialised services, international connections and cooperation across borders.

For inexperienced internet users, this means traditional warning signs may no longer be enough.

A professional-looking message should not automatically be considered genuine, and a familiar name or organisation does not guarantee that a communication is legitimate.

INTERPOL Operations Reveal the Scale of Organised Cybercrime

The growing professionalisation of cybercrime is also reflected in international law-enforcement operations.

INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti III, conducted between June 29 and August 31, 2026, across 21 African countries, demonstrated the scale of the challenge.

The operation resulted in 1,462 arrests, the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks and the recovery of more than $105 million in illicit funds.

Investigators identified 65,929 victims, while financial investigations linked the criminal activity to losses exceeding $385 million.

The operation targeted several forms of cyber-enabled crime, including online scams, ransomware, business email compromise and digital extortion.

An earlier operation produced similar results.

Operation Red Card 2.0, conducted between December 2025 and January 2026, involved authorities in 16 African countries. Investigators made 651 arrests and recovered more than $4.3 million.

The cases were linked to financial losses exceeding $45 million, while authorities identified 1,247 victims.

Operation	Period	Countries involved	Arrests	Financial results
Operation Serengeti III	June 29–August 31, 2026	21	1,462	More than $105 million recovered; losses exceeding $385 million
Operation Red Card 2.0	December 2025–January 2026	16	651	More than $4.3 million recovered; losses exceeding $45 million

These figures highlight why cybercrime prevention cannot depend entirely on individual users.

Criminal networks can operate across international borders, while victims, banks, payment providers, technology companies and law-enforcement agencies may be located in different jurisdictions.

Why Digital Literacy Must Expand Alongside Internet Access

Internet connectivity is only one part of digital inclusion. People also need practical knowledge that helps them recognise threats and protect their accounts.

Important digital safety skills include:

• Creating strong passwords and protecting account recovery information.
• Recognising phishing messages and suspicious links.
• Identifying impersonation attempts and fraudulent applications.
• Avoiding the sharing of passwords and authentication codes.
• Understanding the risks associated with online payments.
• Protecting personal information and privacy.
• Knowing how and where to report suspected cybercrime.

These skills become particularly important when people begin using digital financial services.

Someone encountering a phishing message for the first time may not immediately understand why a seemingly routine request for a password, verification code or bank information is dangerous.

The ITU has repeatedly identified digital skills and affordability, alongside infrastructure, as essential components of meaningful connectivity.

Its 2025 assessment of the investment required to close the global digital divide also identified infrastructure, policy and regulation, affordability and skills as interconnected challenges.

The message is clear: connecting people to the internet without helping them understand how to use digital services safely leaves an important part of digital inclusion unfinished.

Governments Are Strengthening Cybersecurity Laws and International Cooperation

Governments and international organisations are approaching the challenge through public awareness initiatives, reporting systems, legislation, investigations and international cooperation.

The African Union has identified cybersecurity as a flagship programme under Agenda 2063.

The initiative is connected to the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection, with a focus on data protection and online safety as part of the continent’s wider digital development.

INTERPOL has also expanded cooperation with African law-enforcement agencies. Its operations increasingly involve intelligence sharing, digital-forensics capabilities, cross-border investigations and efforts to disrupt criminal infrastructure.

Nigeria provides another example of legislative action.

The country’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024 amended its existing cybercrime framework. It includes provisions concerning cybersecurity institutions, public-private cooperation and international cybersecurity cooperation.

However, the legal and institutional response varies between countries.

INTERPOL’s 2026 assessment identified fragmented cybercrime legislation and limited AI readiness among law-enforcement agencies as continuing challenges.

This means that stronger international coordination and improved investigative capabilities remain important parts of the wider response.

India’s 1930 Cybercrime Helpline Offers a Way to Report Financial Fraud

India provides an example of how reporting infrastructure can help people respond when online financial fraud occurs.

The Government of India’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal provides an online mechanism for reporting cybercrime. Victims of online financial fraud are also directed to call 1930, a 24-hour national cybercrime helpline.

The system is particularly important because the time taken to report fraudulent transactions can matter.

According to government guidance, once a financial cyber-fraud complaint has been received and verified, authorities can coordinate with banks, financial intermediaries and payment wallets in an attempt to block the money involved.

The portal also accepts complaints involving a wider range of cybercrime, including:

• Online and social-media crimes.
• Ransomware.
• Hacking.
• Cryptocurrency-related crimes.
• Other forms of cyber-enabled crime.

This approach demonstrates why consumer protection must extend beyond simply advising people to be careful online.

Users also need accessible reporting mechanisms and assistance when prevention fails.

How Google and Technology Companies Are Trying to Protect Users

Technology companies also have an important role in reducing exposure to cybercrime.

Google recommends two-step verification and passkeys as ways to strengthen account security.

Its guidance explains that passkeys can be used with a fingerprint, face scan or device screen lock. They are designed to be more resistant to phishing than conventional passwords.

Google’s Advanced Protection Program provides additional safeguards for people at elevated risk of targeted attacks. These include stronger authentication requirements and additional protection against harmful downloads and unauthorised access.

Industry-wide cooperation has also been part of the cybersecurity response.

The Cybersecurity Tech Accord, launched in 2018, brought technology and security companies together around commitments to protect users, strengthen security and cooperate against cyberattacks.

Microsoft reported that the initiative had grown to 156 technology and security companies by its fifth anniversary.

Although these measures can reduce exposure to attacks, technology alone cannot eliminate online fraud.

Even a secure platform can be undermined when someone voluntarily shares personal information with a criminal they believe they can trust.

What First-Time Internet Users Can Do to Stay Safe Online

Preventing cybercrime requires cooperation between governments, law-enforcement agencies, financial institutions, technology companies and individual users.

For people who are new to digital services, a few practical habits can make a meaningful difference.

Pause before responding to unexpected requests. Messages demanding immediate action or payment deserve additional scrutiny.

Verify identities independently. Contact a bank, organisation or individual through a separate trusted communication channel rather than relying on the details provided in a suspicious message.

Never share passwords or authentication codes. Requests for these details should be treated with caution.

Examine links before opening them. A familiar-looking message or website does not automatically establish that it is legitimate.

Strengthen account protection. Use stronger authentication methods and available account-security features.

Report suspected fraud quickly. In India, victims of financial cyber fraud can contact the 1930 helpline and use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

Security also needs to be designed around inexperienced users. Warnings should be understandable, reporting mechanisms should be easy to find, and financial institutions and technology platforms should have systems capable of identifying suspicious activity.

INTERPOL’s latest assessment similarly calls for stronger digital-forensics capabilities, greater cross-border cooperation, investment in AI literacy for law enforcement and formal public-private partnerships.

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Conclusion: Internet Access Must Come With Cybersecurity Protection

The expansion of internet access remains an important development for education, employment, communication, financial services and economic opportunity. However, the growing number of connected users also creates a responsibility to make digital participation safer.

The ITU estimates that 6.3 billion people were online in 2026, while approximately 2 billion remained offline. Africa’s internet penetration stood at 42%, highlighting the scale of the continent’s continuing connectivity challenge.

At the same time, INTERPOL’s 2026 assessment shows how AI-assisted techniques and increasingly organised criminal networks are changing the cybercrime landscape.

The solution is not to discourage people from going online. It is to ensure that digital literacy, cybersecurity protections, consumer safeguards and accessible reporting systems develop alongside connectivity.

For first-time internet users, knowing how to recognise manipulation, protect personal information and secure an online account should be considered an essential part of becoming digitally connected, not something they learn only after experiencing fraud.

Source and Research Disclaimer

This article has been prepared based on research of the sources provided below, including official publications and information from the International Telecommunication Union, INTERPOL, the African Union, the Government of India, the Government of Nigeria, Google and Microsoft. It reflects the information available in those sources and does not imply independent verification beyond the material provided.

Sources

• International Telecommunication Union — Facts and Figures 2026
• ITU — 2026 Internet Use Statistics
• INTERPOL — African Cyberthreat Assessment 2026
• INTERPOL — Operation Serengeti III
• INTERPOL — Operation Red Card 2.0
• African Union — Agenda 2063 Cyber Security Programme
• Government of India — National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
• Government of Nigeria — Cybercrimes Act 2024
• Google — Account Security and Passkeys
• Google — Advanced Protection Programme
• Microsoft — Cybersecurity Tech Accord
• BBC

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