Interpol has arrested 260 suspects across 14 African countries in a coordinated operation targeting online romance and extortion scams that defrauded more than 1,400 victims of nearly $2.8 million.
The crackdown, reported by DW Africa, exposed the scale of digital fraud schemes that exploit emotions and trust to strip unsuspecting individuals of their savings.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 68 individuals, seized 835 devices, and identified 108 victims who lost about USD 450,000. Investigators recovered USD 70,000. Scammers used fake profiles, forged identities, and stolen images to lure victims, extracting payments through schemes such as fraudulent courier and customs fees.
Sextortion scams also featured prominently, with offenders secretly recording intimate videos during explicit chats and blackmailing victims for money.
- Senegal: 22 suspects arrested; a network impersonating celebrities defrauded 120 victims of about USD 34,000.
- Côte d’Ivoire: 24 suspects arrested; police dismantled a cybercrime ring with 809 victims blackmailed using compromising material.
- Angola: 8 suspects arrested; 28 victims identified. Fraudsters used fake identities and forged documents to conceal their crimes.
Interpol said the arrests demonstrate how romance scams and sextortion have become global threats, exploiting digital platforms to prey on vulnerable individuals.
The agency pledged to strengthen international cooperation and intelligence-sharing to dismantle criminal syndicates fuelling these scams.
“These scams are not only about financial loss; they inflict deep emotional scars on victims,” an Interpol spokesperson noted.
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