A coordinated cybercrime crackdown spearheaded by Interpol has resulted in the arrest of 260 individuals across 14 African countries. These suspects are believed to be behind widespread online romance and extortion scams, the international organization confirmed on Friday, September 26, 2025.
The operation, conducted throughout July and August, specifically targeted schemes where perpetrators meticulously build fake romantic relationships online to manipulate victims into transferring money or to blackmail them using explicit images. These malicious campaigns left over 1,400 victims devastated, with total losses amounting to nearly $2.8 million.
Cyril Gout, acting executive director of police services at Interpol, highlighted the escalating nature of such digital offenses. “Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes like extortion and romance scams,” Gout stated in the official announcement. “The proliferation of online platforms has unfortunately opened new avenues for criminal networks to exploit vulnerable individuals, leading to both severe financial and psychological damage.”
Among the arrests, Ghanaian authorities detained 68 suspects involved in romance and sextortion scams. These individuals are accused of fabricating identities to trick victims into paying bogus shipping fees and secretly recording intimate videos for later blackmail.
In Senegal, police brought in 22 suspects who allegedly impersonated celebrities on various social media and dating sites. They managed to defraud over 100 people, stealing approximately $34,000.
Similarly, in Ivory Coast, law enforcement arrested 24 suspects for using deceptive profiles to acquire and extort victims with private images.
Interpol, a global network comprising 196 member countries, serves as the world’s largest international police organization, dedicated to combating transnational crime. Headquartered in Lyon, France, it facilitates communication and collaboration among national police forces to track criminals involved in areas such as counterterrorism, financial crime, child exploitation, cybercrime, and organized crime. In recent years, Interpol has been proactively addressing new challenges, including a surging caseload of cybercrime and child sex abuse, while also navigating increasing complexities among its diverse member nations.