Interpol, coordinating 196 member countries, directed a large-scale crackdown on cybercrime across Africa.
Authorities arrested 260 suspects involved in romance scams and sextortion during operations in July and August.
Criminals built online romantic connections, extorted money, and threatened victims with intimate images.
Investigators reported over 1,400 victims lost nearly $2.8 million (€2.4 million) to these digital fraud schemes.
Fraud Schemes Exploit Trust and Technology
Interpol officials said scammers used fake identities to trick victims into paying shipment fees and sharing private videos.
Ghanaian authorities detained 68 suspects involved in scams and blackmail operations.
Senegalese police captured 22 individuals who posed as celebrities to defraud over 100 people of $34,000 (€29,135).
In Côte d’Ivoire, authorities arrested 24 suspects accused of using false profiles to obtain and exploit intimate images.
Cyril Gout, Interpol acting executive director of police services, warned online platforms gave criminals new opportunities.
He added that these crimes caused both financial loss and severe psychological harm for victims.
Global Policing Faces Digital Challenges
Interpol, headquartered in Lyon, helps national police forces track criminals in cybercrime, terrorism, financial crime, and organised crime.
The organisation coordinates communication between countries to combat cross-border criminal networks.
Interpol faces rising caseloads of cybercrime, child exploitation, and fraud, creating challenges for international cooperation.
Member countries increasingly experience divisions over strategy and enforcement priorities, complicating coordinated responses.
Authorities emphasised the need for strengthened international partnerships to confront rapidly evolving digital threats effectively.
