Young, connected and exposed: Cybercriminals are preying on SA's youth

Mail & Guardian

a day ago

Young people's digital fluency and ambition make them vulnerable to crime. Photo: Reuters
South Africa's young people are born digital but that doesn't mean they're digitally secure. As millions of young people navigate a mobile-first world, filled with peer-to-peer payments, monetised social media and digital hustles, cybercriminals drool at the nefarious possibilities it all presents.
South Africa is one of the most mobile-centric nations in the world. With more than 95% of internet users in the country accessing it using smartphones, and the youth forming the bulk of this demographic, this always-online behaviour creates exposure at scale. Add in rising financial independence through mobile wallets, gig work and social commerce and you have a highly monetisable attack surface.
Young people aren't just using digital tools — they're building livelihoods with them. But this blurs the line between personal, professional and financial data. And that convergence is exactly what cybercriminals love to exploit.
The top cyber threats targeting South African youth are:
1. Phishing disguised as giveaways and scholarships
Instagram, TikTok, X and WhatsApp groups are flooded with fake bursary ads, competitions and follower-boosting schemes — all engineered to harvest personal or banking details.
2. Fake job offers
Desperate to enter the workforce, young South Africans are falling victim to scam recruiters requesting admin fees or identity documents for jobs that don't exist. These schemes also build databases for future fraud.
3. SIM swop and mobile money fraud
Once criminals gain access to mobile-linked accounts, they intercept one-time passwords (OTPs) and drain wallets in seconds. In Uganda, a single SIM-swap incident caused losses of over
It's not just a personal risk — it's a business one too.
As young professionals enter the workforce, they bring their digital habits with them — often using the same compromised devices and passwords in the work environment.
From BYOD (bring your own devices) to remote work, the line between home and corporate networks is almost non-existent for many junior staff. If a young employee's phone is compromised, your business data might already be in the wrong hands.
What can be done?
Individuals should use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication. They should also be cautious about app downloads and only install from official sources with ample reviews.
In addition they can lock down social media and avoid sharing online their ID number, school name or the bank they're with.It can easily happen accidentally with a bill or bank card visible in a selfie, for example.
Parents need to start conversations about scams, privacy and the effect on people's mental health. They should also focus on acknowledging their children's grasp of technology to avoid making security advice seem condescending.
Parents can encourage reporting – young people are often embarrassed, so create a safe space to talk. Monitor children with respect, which means using parental tools to build trust and not to spy.
Employers need to educate early hires on cybersecurity basics before, rather than after enforcing mandates
They too need secure BYOD policies and personal devices with strong endpoint protections. In addition, they must create a cybersafe culture because no one is too savvy to be phished.
Young South Africans are not naive: they're ambitious, creative and connected. But without proper safeguards, that same ambition becomes their greatest vulnerability.
Youth Month is a reminder of their potential — but potential can be devastatingly derailed if it's exploited. We need a national commitment to protecting our future by educating, equipping and empowering young people. Their success depends on it — and so does ours.
Doros Hadjizenonos is the regional director of Fortinet Southern Africa.