Most Online Learners in META Face Cyber Scams
Learners taking online or hybrid courses should verify providers and certificates before paying or sharing personal data.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Distance Learning
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Kaspersky research found that nearly 63% of online learners in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region faced cyber incidents in the past year. The survey covered 1,864 respondents aged 18-65 who took part in online or hybrid education over the prior 12 months, drawn from 18 countries including South Africa.
Why it matters
For students and families relying on online courses, the findings show that fake courses, fraudulent certificates and scam messages are a real cost, not a rare edge case. Kaspersky also reported spam aimed at parents and working adults, which suggests scammers are targeting the decisions people make about where and how to study.
Suspicious messages or links accounted for 27% of reported incidents, fake apps or websites for 23%, and scams through online communities or messaging groups for 22%. Fake courses or providers were reported by 20% of respondents, malware in educational files or apps by 18%, and personal data exposure by 16%.
The players
Kaspersky
A global cybersecurity company whose research team surveyed online learners and identified the spam campaigns targeting students and parents.
ITWeb
A South African technology news publication that published the Kaspersky findings.
The details
Scammers used spam emails that criticised traditional schools and urged parents to move their children to online schooling, and other spam aimed at working adults used mismatched images and links that redirected users to unrelated third-party stores. Learners who encountered these lures could then face the pattern the survey recorded: suspicious links, fake course providers, malware disguised as study materials, and unrecognised certificates, which 16% of respondents encountered.
Timeline
The survey covered the 12 months before its publication.
Kaspersky's findings were published by ITWeb on 6 November 2026.
Education Landscape
Online and hybrid learning expanded rapidly as a way to access courses across borders, and the same reach makes it attractive to scammers posing as providers. This survey places the risk in the context of that growth by showing how many learners now encounter it in one region.
If you take online courses, check that a provider is accredited and that any certificate can be verified with the issuing institution before you pay or share personal data. Be cautious of unsolicited emails urging a switch to online schooling or offering unfamiliar course providers, and ask your school's admissions or student services office to confirm any unfamiliar program.
The takeaway
Online learning brings real scam exposure, and the survey suggests learners should verify providers and certificates before committing time or money. Confirming a course's legitimacy with the institution or an adviser before enrolling is a simple step that can prevent lost time and financial loss.
Further reading
For more on how remote study is changing, see the Distance Learning section.
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