Interpol, the world’s largest policing organisation with 196 member states, carried out a coordinated cybercrime operation across Africa in July and August. Authorities arrested 260 suspects connected to online romance scams and extortion plots. The crackdown spanned 14 countries, highlighting the continent’s vulnerability to rapidly growing forms of internet-enabled crime. Investigators reported that scammers developed fraudulent romantic ties with victims or manipulated explicit recordings to extort money. Interpol confirmed that more than 1,400 victims suffered losses of nearly $2.8 million, with both financial and emotional damage reported. Cyril Gout, acting executive director of police services at Interpol, warned that criminals increasingly exploit online platforms to reach new victims, stressing that this surge in cyber-enabled scams has created significant psychological harm alongside economic costs.
National Operations Reveal Sophisticated Tactics
Authorities across Africa revealed complex strategies used to deceive victims. Ghanaian police arrested 68 individuals accused of tricking victims into paying fake shipping fees and secretly recording explicit material for blackmail. In Senegal, police detained 22 suspects who allegedly posed as well-known celebrities on dating apps and social media platforms, scamming more than 100 victims out of $34,000. In Côte d’Ivoire, 24 suspects were arrested for creating fraudulent profiles to lure individuals into sharing intimate images, later used to threaten and extort money. These arrests exposed the scale of coordinated fraud rings and the growing sophistication of their online methods. Investigators noted that many suspects operated across borders, using technology to disguise their identities while maintaining networks that spanned multiple countries.
Global Policing Body Grapples With Expanding Threats
Headquartered in Lyon, Interpol facilitates communication among national police forces, enabling the tracking of suspects in terrorism, organised crime, financial fraud, child exploitation, and cybercrime. The organisation, with 196 members, has increasingly shifted resources toward combating digital crimes as cases of sextortion, online fraud, and child abuse escalate. Officials acknowledged that cyber-enabled crimes now dominate Interpol’s caseload, raising new challenges for cooperation among countries with differing priorities and legal systems. Despite divisions within its membership, Interpol continues to position itself as a central force in countering global cybercrime. The organisation’s latest operation underscores both the international nature of online scams and the urgent need for countries to enhance cross-border policing against digital threats.
