Interpol has arrested 260 individuals across 14 African countries in a coordinated operation targeting online romance and extortion scams, which defrauded over 1,400 victims of nearly $2.8 million.
According to DW Africa, the crackdown highlights the growing threat of digital fraud schemes that exploit vulnerable people worldwide.
In Ghana, authorities apprehended 68 suspects, seized 835 devices, and identified 108 victims. Investigations revealed financial losses totaling USD 450,000, of which USD 70,000 was recovered. Romance-related scams involved fake profiles, stolen photos, and forged identities, while perpetrators used bogus courier and customs fees to extract money. In sextortion cases, fraudsters secretly recorded explicit video chats to extort victims.
In Senegal, police arrested 22 suspects running a network that impersonated celebrities on social media and dating platforms, defrauding 120 people of about USD 34,000. Authorities also seized 65 devices, forged IDs, and records of money transfers.
In Côte d’Ivoire, security forces dismantled a cybercrime group that created fake online identities to trick victims into sharing intimate images, which were then used for blackmail. Police arrested 24 suspects, confiscated 29 devices, and identified 809 victims.
In Angola, eight suspects were arrested after targeting 28 local and international victims through social media, using fraudulent documents to create false identities for financial transactions.
Interpol emphasised that these arrests show the global reach of online romance scams, which exploit trust and emotions. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen international cooperation and intelligence sharing to dismantle the criminal networks behind such schemes.
Source: Adomonline
