Authorities in 14 African countries have arrested 260 people and seized 1 235 electronic devices in a coordinated crackdown on online scams, Interpol has announced.
The international operation, known as Operation Contender 3.0, ran from 28 July to 11 August and targeted transnational criminal groups running romance scams and sextortion schemes.
Investigators identified 1 463 victims across the continent, with financial losses estimated at nearly $2.8m (£2.2m).
Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at Interpol, said cybercrime units in Africa were facing a surge in digital fraud.
“Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams,” he said. “The growth of online platforms has opened new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit victims, causing both financial loss and psychological harm. By working closely with our member countries and private sector partners, we remain committed to disrupting and dismantling the groups that prey on vulnerable individuals online.”
In Ghana, 68 suspects were detained and 835 devices seized, with police uncovering $450 000 in losses, $70 000 of which was recovered. Authorities said the suspects used “fake profiles, forged identities and stolen images” to deceive victims, often demanding payments through fraudulent courier or customs fees.
In Senegal, 22 people were arrested for running scams that impersonated celebrities on social media and dating platforms. Police said they defrauded 120 victims of about $34 000 and seized forged identity documents and money transfer records.
Cote d’Ivoire police dismantled a sextortion ring that targeted vulnerable individuals by creating fake online profiles. Twenty-four suspects were arrested, 29 devices were seized and 809 victims were identified.
In Angola, eight suspects were arrested after police found they had used forged documents to create fake identities and trick victims online.
Across the 14 countries, police also took down 81 cybercrime infrastructures, including websites and social media accounts. Items seized included USB drives, SIM cards and forged papers.
Interpol said the operation was strengthened through collaboration with private partners Group-IB and Trend Micro, which “resulted in enhanced data sharing and operational capabilities.”
The crackdown was funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime project.
Interpol noted the findings of its 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, which said two-thirds of African countries surveyed viewed cybercrime as a medium-to-high proportion of all offences.
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