The International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL, says 574 suspected cyber fraudsters have been arrested and about $3 million proceeds of cybercrime recovered from its coordinated operation across Nigeria, Ghana, and 17 other African countries.
In a statement on December 19, INTERPOL said its Operation Sentinel focused on three prevalent crime types: business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion, and ransomware.
“Ghanaian authorities also dismantled a major cyber-fraud network operating across Ghana and Nigeria that defrauded more than 200 victims of over USD 400,000,” it said.
INTERPOL said the suspects used websites and mobile apps to pose as popular fast-food brands for their operations.
“Using professionally designed websites and mobile apps, the scammers mimicked well-known fast-food brands, collecting payments but never delivering orders. Ten suspects were arrested in Ghana, with over 100 digital devices seized and 30 fraudulent servers taken offline.
“A Ghanaian financial institution was hit by a ransomware attack that encrypted 100 terabytes of data and stole approximately USD 120,000, disrupting critical services,” it said.
INTERPOL said that during its coordinated initiative, over 6,000 malicious links were taken down and six distinct ransomware variants were decrypted. The cases investigated during the month-long operation were linked to estimated financial losses exceeding USD 21 million.
“In Senegal, a major petroleum company detected a sophisticated BEC scheme in which fraudsters infiltrated internal email systems and impersonated executives to authorise a fraudulent wire transfer of USD 7.9 million. By urgently freezing destination accounts, Senegalese authorities successfully halted the transfer before funds could be withdrawn,” the statement said.
It added, “In Benin, 43 malicious domains were taken down, and 4,318 social media accounts linked to extortion schemes and scams were shut down, leading to 106 arrests. Cameroonian law enforcement reacted quickly after two victims reported a scam involving an online vehicle sales platform.”
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s director of cybercrime, said, “The scale and sophistication of cyberattacks across Africa are accelerating, especially against critical sectors like finance and energy.”
He added, “The outcomes from Operation Sentinel reflect the commitment of African law enforcement agencies working in close coordination with international partners. Their actions have successfully protected livelihoods, secured sensitive personal data, and preserved critical infrastructure.”
