The verdict in three sentences
As baskets grow, velocity abuse, friendly fraud and stolen-wallet attacks become real. Limits by KYC tier and simple rules (velocity, geo, amount cap) cut losses without breaking conversion. 3DS adds +5 to 12 % abandonment: reserve it for risky transactions, not all.
Three approaches to fraud
Deterministic rules (velocity N tx/hour, geo, amount cap) are fast to set and transparent, but rigid. Provider risk scoring uses behavioral signals to score each transaction: finer, but a black box. 3DS step-up requests strong authentication when risk is high: very effective against card fraud, but costly in conversion. The right setup stacks all three in increasing order of friction.
| Approach | Anti-fraud efficacy | Conversion impact | Transparency | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deterministic rules | Medium | None to low | High | Baseline for all |
| Provider scoring | High | Low | Low | Medium/high volume |
| 3DS step-up | Very high | -5 to -12 % | Medium | Large risky tickets |
| None (lax) | None | None | — | Never |
Fraud rates and limits by tier
Mobile money is structurally less defrauded than cards, but not immune. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude for fraud rates and caps by KYC tier.
| KYC tier | Per-transaction cap 2026 | Card fraud rate | Mobile-money fraud rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unverified | 50,000 (local) | 2.0 to 2.5 % | 0.7 to 0.9 % |
| Basic (phone verified) | 200,000 | 1.4 to 2.0 % | 0.4 to 0.7 % |
| Intermediate (ID doc) | 1,000,000 | 1.0 to 1.4 % | 0.3 to 0.5 % |
| Enhanced (full KYC) | 2,000,000 | 0.8 to 1.0 % | 0.2 to 0.3 % |
The false-positive cost is real: an unjustified decline loses a legitimate sale and annoys a good customer. An overly aggressive threshold can cost more in lost sales than in fraud avoided. Aim for a false-positive to blocked-fraud ratio below 5:1.
Kolonell referral partner program
Checkout security sells projects — and you can benefit. The Kolonell referral partner program rewards anyone who recommends a client to us. Know a merchant, a marketplace or a large company that needs a robust checkout? Introduce them and earn a commission on signature.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
| Referred project type | Sale commission | Recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Showcase website | 15 % | + 5 % |
| E-commerce | 12 % | + 5 % |
| Marketplace | 10 % | — |
| Institutional | 8 % | — |
On a 2,000,000 (local) e-commerce project, a referrer earns 240,000 on signature, plus 5 % on recurring items (maintenance, SEO). No technical skill required: you open the door, we deliver.
Mini case study
Ruth, a consultant in Nairobi, refers an online store that signs a Growth e-commerce project at KES 800,000 with maintenance at KES 30,000/month. On signature she earns 12 %, or KES 96,000. On recurring maintenance, 5 % brings KES 1,500/month, or KES 18,000/year. With 4 e-commerce referrals in the year, her referral income reaches about KES 460,000 — without writing a line of code. On the fraud side, the store moves from a lax threshold (fraud 1.8 %) to tier-based rules: fraud brought down to 0.6 %, roughly KES 24,000 of losses avoided monthly on 100 orders at KES 20,000.
FAQ
Is mobile money less defrauded than cards? Yes: 0.2 to 0.9 % for mobile money versus 0.8 to 2.5 % for cards in 2026. But it is not immune, especially on unverified tiers.
Is 3DS worth its conversion cost? 3DS adds +5 to 12 % abandonment. Reserve it for risky transactions (large amount, suspicious signal) rather than all, to preserve conversion.
What caps by KYC tier? As a 2026 order of magnitude: 50,000 unverified, 200,000 basic, 1,000,000 intermediate, 2,000,000 full KYC. Adjust to your average ticket.
How much does a Kolonell referral partner earn? From 8 to 15 % on the sale by pole, plus 5 % recurring on showcase and e-commerce. A 2M e-commerce project earns the referrer 240,000.
How do I become a referral partner? Just introduce us to a qualified prospect via WhatsApp. No technical skill required: you open the relationship, we deliver the project and pay your commission on signature.
Let's talk about your project. Secure your checkout or become a Kolonell referral partner today. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
