Mass arrests for sextortion and romance scams across Africa
An Interpol sting operation has resulted in the arrest of more than 250 suspected cyber scammers across 14 African countries.
Funded by the UK, the African Joint Operation against Cyber-crime Project targeted criminal networks that used social media and digital platforms to extract money from victims in romance scams and “sextortion” engagements in which scammers used explicit imagery to extort people.
The operation estimates that more than 1,400 victims across countries including Ghana, Kenya, and Angola, lost nearly $2.8 million.
“Cyber-crime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams,” Cyril Gout, the acting executive director of police services at Interpol, told BBC.
Police used IP addresses, digital infrastructure, domains, and social media profiles to identify members of the scam syndicates. According to Interpol, the operation and subsequent arrests led to the take down of 81 cybercrime groups across Africa.