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Interpol has arrested 260 individuals in 14 African countries in a major crackdown on online romance and extortion scams that defrauded more than 1,400 victims of nearly USD 2.8 million.
According to DW Africa, the coordinated operation exposed the growing scale of cyber fraud schemes exploiting vulnerable people worldwide.
In Ghana, authorities apprehended 68 suspects, confiscated 835 electronic devices, and identified 108 victims. Investigations revealed financial losses amounting to USD 450,000, with USD 70,000 already recovered. The scams typically involved fake profiles, stolen photos, and forged identities. Fraudsters often demanded bogus courier or customs fees from victims. In sextortion cases, perpetrators lured targets into explicit video chats, secretly recorded them, and used the footage for blackmail.
Other countries also reported significant arrests. In Senegal, police detained 22 suspects running a network that impersonated celebrities on social media and dating platforms, defrauding 120 people of USD 34,000. Officers seized 65 devices, forged identity cards, and money transfer records.
In Côte d’Ivoire, security forces dismantled a cybercrime syndicate that created fake online identities to trick victims into sharing intimate photos. The material was later used for extortion. Twenty-four suspects were arrested, 29 devices seized, and 809 victims identified.
In Angola, police arrested eight suspects accused of targeting 28 local and international victims through fraudulent social media schemes. Authorities also uncovered forged documents used to create fake identities for financial transactions.
Interpol said the arrests demonstrate the global reach of online romance scams, which prey on trust and emotions. The agency pledged to strengthen intelligence sharing and international cooperation to dismantle the criminal networks driving such schemes.
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