Interpol, the world’s largest police network with 196 member states, coordinated a cybercrime crackdown across Africa.
Authorities arrested 260 suspects in July and August for romance and extortion schemes run online.
Victims Tricked Through Deception and Blackmail
Scammers built false romantic ties to steal money or blackmail with explicit images, investigators confirmed.
Over 1,400 victims lost nearly $2.8 million during the wave of online fraud operations.
Ghanaian police detained 68 suspects using fake identities for extortion and secret recordings.
Senegalese authorities arrested 22 suspects who posed as celebrities to swindle more than 100 victims of $34,000.
In Côte d’Ivoire, police captured 24 suspects who exploited fake profiles to blackmail targets with intimate images.
Interpol Confronts Expanding Cybercrime Threats
Headquartered in Lyon, Interpol links police forces worldwide to fight terrorism, financial crime, and organised crime.
Officials warned that cybercrime, child exploitation, and online fraud now dominate their workload and challenge global cooperation.
