By: Akua Oteng Amponsah
A recent INTERPOL operation across 14 African countries has led to the arrest of 260 suspected scammers, with 68 individuals apprehended in Ghana.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Contender 3.0,” targeted cybercrime rings exploiting social media and dating platforms to carry out romance scams and sextortion, resulting in an estimated $2.8 million in losses to 1,463 victims globally.
Ghanaian authorities played a crucial role, arresting 68 individuals, seizing 835 electronic devices, and identifying 108 victims, with financial losses totaling $450,000, of which $70,000 has been recovered.
“Ghanaian authorities arrested 68 individuals, seized 835 devices and identified 108 victims. Their investigations revealed USD 450,000 in financial losses, with USD 70,000 recovered,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the suspects used fake profiles, forged identities, and stolen images to deceive victims, extracting payments through schemes like fake courier and customs shipment fees.
In sextortion cases, offenders secretly recorded intimate videos during explicit chats and used them for blackmail.
It furtheredthat “for romance scams, the suspects had used fake profiles, forged identities and stolen images to deceive victims. The scammers extracted payments using a range of schemes, including fake courier and customs shipment fees. In sextortion cases, offenders secretly recorded intimate videos during explicit chats and used them for blackmail.”
Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL, highlighted the growing threat, stating, “Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams. The growth of online platforms has opened new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit victims, causing both financial loss and psychological harm.”
The operation resulted in the seizure of 1,235 electronic devices and the takedown of 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa
