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Interpol has announced the arrest of 260 suspected cyber scammers in a sweeping sting across 14 African countries, targeting online fraud networks behind romance scams and “sextortion” schemes.
The operation, carried out between July and August and funded by the UK, identified more than 1,400 victims across Ghana, Kenya, Angola, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and other nations. Interpol estimates victims lost nearly $2.8m (£2.1m) to the scams.
“These criminals build trust quickly, only to shatter it just as fast,” said Neal Jetton, Interpol’s cybercrime director, describing how syndicates manipulate victims on social media and dating platforms.
Authorities seized hundreds of devices, forged documents, SIM cards, and USB drives, while also dismantling 81 cybercrime groups across the continent.
Key arrests by country:
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Ghana: 68 suspects, 835 devices seized, 108 victims identified. Investigators recovered $70,000 from $450,000 in losses.
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Senegal: 22 suspects, $34,000 in fraud uncovered, including a network impersonating celebrities to defraud 120 victims.
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Ivory Coast: 24 suspects, 29 devices seized, 809 victims identified. Scammers used fake profiles to blackmail victims.
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Angola: 8 suspects arrested, 28 victims identified through social media scams.
Other countries involved included Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.
“Online scams remain the top cyber threat across Africa,” Jetton said. “They are difficult to combat because millions of people fall for phishing attempts every day.”
Interpol pledged continued cooperation with African law enforcement to “disrupt and dismantle” criminal groups preying on vulnerable individuals online.
