African Authorities Arrest 260 Suspects in Crackdown on Romance Scams and Sextortion
In a coordinated international operation, authorities in 14 African countries have arrested 260 suspects and seized 1,235 electronic devices in a bid to combat cyber-enabled crime. The operation, dubbed Contender 3.0, targeted transnational criminal networks that exploit digital platforms to manipulate victims and defraud them financially.
The crackdown 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 the operation, which took place from July 28 to August 11, 2025, police identified IP addresses, digital infrastructures, domains, and social media profiles linked to members of the scam syndicates.
Investigators identified 1,463 victims linked to the scams, estimating their losses at nearly $2.8 million. The operation was strengthened by collaboration with private sector partners, resulting in enhanced data sharing and operational capabilities. The exchange of cyber activity reports facilitated swift enforcement actions from participating countries, underscoring the value of international cooperation in combating cybercrime.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 68 individuals, seized 835 devices, and identified 108 victims, with financial losses totaling $450,000. In Senegal, police arrested 22 suspects and uncovered a network that impersonated celebrities to defraud 120 victims of approximately $34,000. In Cote d’Ivoire, police dismantled a cybercrime ring that created fake profiles online to manipulate vulnerable individuals into sharing intimate images.
The operation highlights the growing threat of cybercrime in Africa, where two-thirds of surveyed member countries said cyber-related offenses make up a medium-to-high proportion of all crimes. The African Joint Operation against Cybercrime project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, aims to combat this threat through international cooperation and coordination.
The participating countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, and others, demonstrated their commitment to disrupting and dismantling cybercrime networks that prey on vulnerable individuals online. The success of Operation Contender 3.0 reinforces the importance of collaboration and information sharing in combating cybercrime and protecting victims across the continent.
