Authorities have arrested approximately 260 individuals suspected of involvement in cyber scams across 14 African nations in a recent operation. This initiative, coordinated by Interpol and financed by the UK, aimed at targeting criminal networks that leverage social media and digital platforms to perpetrate romance scams and “sextortion,” where victims are blackmailed using explicit content.
The operation, which took place between July and August, led to the identification of over 1,400 victims in countries including Ghana, Kenya, and Angola, with collective reported losses estimated at nearly $2.8 million. Interpol indicated its commitment to dismantling groups that exploit online vulnerabilities.
During the crackdown, law enforcement utilized digital tools to trace IP addresses, digital infrastructures, domains, and social media accounts associated with the scam syndicates. This ultimately resulted in the seizure of various materials such as USB drives, SIM cards, and counterfeit documents, alongside the dismantling of 81 cybercrime groups.
Specific outcomes varied by country. In Ghana, authorities arrested 68 suspects and confiscated 835 devices, while identifying 108 victims and recovering $70,000 from total estimated losses of $450,000. Scammers in this region employed schemes like fake courier fees and blackmail through explicit videos recorded during chats.
In Senegal, 22 arrests were made; the operation uncovered a network that impersonated celebrities, defrauding about 120 victims of approximately $34,000. Meanwhile, in Ivory Coast, 24 suspects were apprehended, and 809 victims were identified.
Angola reported the arrest of eight suspects, who targeted 28 victims using fraudulent identities created through social media.
This operation was part of the broader African Joint Operation against Cybercrime project, which included involvement from countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, and Nigeria.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r04vjvkljo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss