Interpol, the largest global police network, coordinated a crackdown across 14 African nations in July and August.
Authorities arrested 260 suspects linked to online romance and extortion scams targeting thousands of victims.
Investigations Reveal Costly Romance Schemes
Scammers built fake relationships, demanded fraudulent payments, or blackmailed victims with explicit material.
Interpol confirmed 1,400 victims lost nearly $2.8 million in financial and emotional damage.
National Raids Expose Widespread Scams
Ghana arrested 68 suspects using false identities to demand fake shipment fees and blackmail victims.
Senegal detained 22 people posing as celebrities to defraud over 100 victims of $34,000.
Côte d’Ivoire captured 24 suspects accused of exploiting fake profiles for intimate-image extortion.
