Some 260 suspected cyber scammers have been arrested in a sting operation carried out across 14 African countries. The operation, coordinated by Interpol and funded by the UK, targeted criminal networks using social media and digital platforms to extract money from victims in romance scams, and in so-called 'sextortion,' where victims are blackmailed using explicit imagery.
More than 1,400 victims across Ghana, Kenya, Angola, and elsewhere were identified, with Interpol estimating their losses at nearly $2.8 million (£2.1 million). The global police network stated it was committed to 'disrupting and dismantling the groups that prey on vulnerable individuals online.'
During the crackdown, which occurred between July and August, police identified IP addresses, digital infrastructure, domains, and social media profiles linked to members of the scam syndicates. The effort led to the seizure of USB drives, SIM cards, and forged documents, in addition to taking down 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa.
'Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams,' said Cyril Gout, the acting executive director of police services at Interpol. He added that the growth of online platforms had opened new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit victims 'causing both financial loss and psychological harm.'
In Ghana alone, 68 suspects were arrested, with authorities seizing 835 devices and identifying 108 victims during the operation. Investigators there recovered $70,000 from an estimated $450,000 in financial losses. In Senegal, police arrested 22 suspects and unraveled a network that impersonated celebrities to defraud about $34,000 from 120 victims. The operation spanned various countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.
More than 1,400 victims across Ghana, Kenya, Angola, and elsewhere were identified, with Interpol estimating their losses at nearly $2.8 million (£2.1 million). The global police network stated it was committed to 'disrupting and dismantling the groups that prey on vulnerable individuals online.'
During the crackdown, which occurred between July and August, police identified IP addresses, digital infrastructure, domains, and social media profiles linked to members of the scam syndicates. The effort led to the seizure of USB drives, SIM cards, and forged documents, in addition to taking down 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa.
'Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams,' said Cyril Gout, the acting executive director of police services at Interpol. He added that the growth of online platforms had opened new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit victims 'causing both financial loss and psychological harm.'
In Ghana alone, 68 suspects were arrested, with authorities seizing 835 devices and identifying 108 victims during the operation. Investigators there recovered $70,000 from an estimated $450,000 in financial losses. In Senegal, police arrested 22 suspects and unraveled a network that impersonated celebrities to defraud about $34,000 from 120 victims. The operation spanned various countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.
