Morocco ranks 1st in Maghreb, 3rd in Africa on Digital Fraud Index

A newly released report from SumSub, a U.S.-based cybersecurity and digital solutions firm, has placed Morocco in 77th position globally among 103 countries on the Global Digital Fraud Index.

With a score of 3.51 points, Morocco ranks as the top country in the Maghreb and third in Africa among nations most protected against digital fraud.

Mauritius emerged as the top African nation in terms of digital fraud protection, followed by Botswana at 45th globally.

Ethiopia and Algeria ranked among the lowest in Africa, alongside countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina, and Sri Lanka, which are all listed among the ten nations with the least protection against digital fraud worldwide.

Several African countries, including Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, and others in Central and West Africa, were excluded from the ranking.

Rwanda secured the 79th position globally, followed by South Africa and Egypt at 83rd and 86th, respectively. Algeria ranked 95th on the index.

Global Leaders in Digital Fraud Protection

The top-ranking countries for digital fraud protection are Singapore, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Norway, and Denmark, all of which are featured among the top ten globally.

In the Middle East, Israel ranked 17th globally, followed by Kuwait and Qatar, which secured the 18th and 19th positions, respectively. The United Arab Emirates ranked 22nd, and Saudi Arabia came in 27th.

The Global Digital Fraud Index offers a comprehensive overview of the risks of digital fraud, aiming to identify the fundamental factors that drive fraud across different countries.

Its goal is to raise public awareness of the root causes of fraud and provide actionable insights for governments and regulatory bodies to implement measures to reduce digital fraud, particularly in countries facing high-risk levels.

The rankings were based on four main indicators:

Fraud Rate Indicator: This measures the level of digital fraud activity in each country. It tracks the prevalence and impact of fraud-related incidents in the digital space.

Access to Resources Indicator: This indicator evaluates a country’s ability to access digital resources and services that assist in combating fraud. It also considers the financial strength of the country, which plays a role in its capacity to invest in anti-fraud measures.

Government Intervention Indicator: This assesses the commitment of each government to establishing and maintaining a strong infrastructure for addressing digital fraud. It looks at policies, regulations, and governmental actions aimed at reducing fraud risks.

Economic Stability Indicator: This factor helps explain the fluctuations in digital fraud activity by considering the country’s economic stability. A stronger economy may correlate with lower levels of fraud, while economic instability can exacerbate fraud risks.

The SumSub report relied on multiple international sources, including Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, the E-Government Development Index, the World Bank’s Governance Effectiveness Indicator, and others.

Data was collected until September 12, 2024, and several countries were excluded from the analysis due to reasons such as being placed on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) black and grey lists or lacking reliable data due to political instability.

The Global Digital Fraud Index offers an important snapshot of how countries around the world are faring in their efforts to protect against cyber fraud.

Morocco’s position at the forefront of the Maghreb and its relatively strong standing in Africa reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and prevent digital fraud, although the country faces increasing challenges, particularly as global and regional regulatory landscapes evolve.