Authorities in 14 African countries have arrested 260 suspects and seized 1 235 electronic devices in a coordinated international operation against cyber-enabled crime.

The crackdown targeted transnational criminal networks exploiting digital platforms, particularly social media, to manipulate victims and defraud them financially, Interpol said. Specifically, the operation focused on romance scams, where perpetrators build online relationships to extract money from victims, and sextortion, in which victims are blackmailed with explicit images or videos.

During Operation Contender 3.0 (28 July – 11 August 2025) across Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia, police identified IP addresses, digital infrastructures, domains and social media profiles linked to members of the scam syndicates. These leads and the subsequent arrests also resulted in the seizure of USB drives, SIM cards and forged documents, as well as the take down of 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa.

Investigators identified 1 463 victims linked to the scams, estimating their losses at nearly US$2.8 million.

The transnational operation was strengthened by collaboration with private sector partners Group-IB and Trend Micro, resulting in enhanced data sharing and operational capabilities. The exchange of Interpol cyber activity reports facilitated swift enforcement actions from participating countries, underscoring the value of international cooperation in combating cybercrime, Interpol said.

“Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams. 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,” said Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at Interpol.

Ghanaian authorities arrested 68 individuals, seized 835 devices and identified 108 victims. Their investigations revealed US$450 000 in financial losses, with US$70 000 recovered. For romance scams the suspects had used fake profiles, forged identities and stolen images to deceive victims. The scammers extracted payments using a range of schemes, including fake courier and customs shipment fees. In sextortion cases, offenders secretly recorded intimate videos during explicit chats and used them for blackmail.

In Senegal, police arrested 22 suspects, uncovering a network that impersonated celebrities and used emotional manipulation on social media and dating platforms to defraud 120 victims of approximately US$34 000. A total of 65 devices, forged identification documents and money transfer records were seized during the operation.

Police in Cote d’Ivoire dismantled a cybercrime ring that created fake profiles online to manipulate vulnerable individuals into sharing intimate images. Once in possession of compromising material, the criminals blackmailed victims, demanding payments to prevent public exposure. Police arrested 24 suspects, seized 29 devices and identified 809 victims.

In Angola authorities arrested 8 individuals and identified 28 domestic and international victims, primarily targeted via social media. Offenders used fraudulent documents to create fake identities, facilitating financial transactions and concealing their real identities while engaging victims.

Operation Contender 3.0 was funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime project.

In June, Interpol released the 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, revealing that two-thirds of surveyed African member countries said cyber-related offences make up a medium-to-high proportion of all crimes.