AI and Cybercrime in Africa: What Users Actually Need to Worry About

INTERPOL's 2026 assessment describes AI as a major accelerator of cybercrime across Africa. For ordinary users, that does not mean learning how AI models work. It means recognising that polished messages, realistic impersonation and personalised scams are easier for criminals to produce. Verify unexpected requests independently, protect accounts with strong authentication and never allow urgency to replace verification.