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During Operation Contender 3.0 (July 28–August 11, 2025), authorities in 14 African countries arrested 260 suspects and seized 1,235 electronic devices in a coordinated crackdown on cybercrime networks using romance scams and sextortion schemes. The operation identified 1,463 victims with estimated losses of USD 2.8 million, dismantling 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa through international collaboration between law enforcement and private sector partners. Notable outcomes included Ghana's arrest of 68 suspects with USD 450,000 in identified losses (USD 70,000 recovered), Senegal's takedown

An Interpol-coordinated crackdown across 14 African countries in July and August resulted in the arrest of 260 suspects involved in online romance and sextortion scams that targeted over 1,400 victims and caused nearly $2.8 million in losses. The operation focused on perpetrators who used fake identities and profiles to build romantic relationships, extract money through false fees, and blackmail victims with explicit images, with Ghana accounting for 68 arrests and Senegal for 22 arrests of suspects posing as celebrities.

A coordinated Interpol operation across 14 African countries resulted in the arrest of approximately 260 suspected cyber scammers involved in romance scams and sextortion between July and August. Over 1,400 victims, including many elderly individuals, lost a combined $2.8 million, with the operation also dismantling 81 cyber-crime groups and seizing numerous devices and forged documents. Ghana saw the most arrests with 68 suspects and $70,000 recovered from $450,000 in losses, while other countries like Senegal and Ivory Coast uncovered additional networks using fake profiles and blackmail tactics to defraud victims.

Interpol arrested over 250 suspected cybercriminals across 14 African nations in Operation Contender 3.0, disrupting romance scams and sextortion schemes that targeted approximately 1,500 victims with estimated losses near $3 million. The operation, conducted in late July through early August, identified digital infrastructure used by scam syndicates that exploited victims' trust and emotional vulnerabilities through fake romance profiles and blackmail using explicit imagery. Ghana led the crackdown with approximately 70 arrests, while operations in other countries including Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire dismantled networks impersonating celebrities and operating organized sextortion rings.

An Interpol-coordinated crackdown across 14 African countries in July and August resulted in the arrest of 260 suspects involved in online romance scams and sextortion schemes that targeted over 1,400 victims and caused nearly $2.8 million in losses. The operation revealed a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes where perpetrators use fake identities and social media profiles to build romantic relationships, extract money through false fees, or blackmail victims with intimate images. Notable arrests included 68 suspects in Ghana, 22 in Senegal who impersonated celebrities, and 24 in Côte d'Ivoire engaged in sextortion activities.

**Summary:** Interpol arrested 260 individuals across 14 African nations in a coordinated operation targeting romance scam and sextortion networks operating during July and August. The perpetrators defrauded over 1,400 victims of approximately $2.8 million by building fake romantic relationships, then demanding money or blackmailing victims with compromising images. Notable arrests included 68 suspects in Ghana, 22 in Senegal, and 24 in Ivory Coast, with authorities attributing the rise in these crimes to expanded access to online platforms.

Interpol arrested 260 suspects across 14 African countries in July and August for orchestrating online romance and sextortion scams that victimized over 1,400 people and stole nearly $2.8 million. Ghanaian authorities arrested 68 suspects who used fake identities to charge victims fraudulent shipping fees and blackmail them with explicit videos, while in Senegal, 22 suspects impersonated celebrities on social media to defraud over 100 victims of $34,000. The operation underscores the growing prevalence of digital crimes, including romance scams and sextortion, facilitated by online platforms.

INTERPOL has built a specialized network of cybercrime officers across Africa's 54 countries to combat the growing cyber threat, which now accounts for up to 30% of crime in some regions. Through coordinated operations and intelligence sharing with member countries and private partners, INTERPOL has achieved significant results, including over 1,200 arrests and nearly $100 million in recovered funds in their latest Africa-wide operation (Serengeti 2.0). The organization emphasizes rapid information exchange and cross-border collaboration to detect and respond to phishing, malware, and ransomware campaigns targeting financial institutions and vulnerable populations.

International law enforcement arrested 260 suspects and seized 1,235 electronic devices across 14 African countries in Operation Condor 3.0 (July-August), a crackdown on romance scams and sextortion rings operated by criminal syndicates originating in Southeast Asia. The operation identified 1,463 victims who lost an estimated $2.8 million and dismantled 81 cybercrime infrastructures, highlighting the growing threat of digitally-enabled scams exploiting human vulnerabilities across Africa and globally.

An Interpol-coordinated operation spanning 14 African countries arrested 260 cybercrime suspects and dismantled 81 criminal networks involved in romance scams and sextortion, resulting in approximately $2.8 million in losses across nearly 1,500 victims. Ghana accounted for the largest portion of arrests (68 suspects) with victims losing $450,000, while other countries including Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Angola also made significant arrests; authorities seized electronic devices, forged documents, and SIM cards used in the schemes. The operation highlighted the growing threat of digitally-enabled fraud on social media and dating platforms across Africa, with

INTERPOL arrested 260 alleged romance scammers, sextortionists, and online fraudsters across 14 African nations in "Operation Contender 3.0," identifying over 1,400 victims with estimated losses of nearly US $2.8 million. Law enforcement seized 1,235 electronic devices and dismantled 81 cybercriminal infrastructures used to lure victims and launder payments. The operation highlights the surge of digital crime across Africa, where sextortion attacks and romance scams are particularly prevalent due to low barriers to entry and high profit potential, with many victims reluctant to report crimes due to shame.

Interpol's Operation Contender 3.0 arrested 260 alleged romance scammers and sextortionists across Africa, recovering 1,235 electronic devices and linking 1,463 victims who lost approximately $2.8 million. The criminals used fake online identities to lure vulnerable victims into romantic relationships before demanding money through bogus fees, fraudulent investments, or sextortion schemes involving explicit recordings. The operation highlights a growing problem in Africa where cybercrime accounts for 30% of reported crime, with Americans losing $1.2 billion annually to romance scams with median losses around $2,000.

AI is enhancing both traditional scams and creating new fraud methods by automating mass attacks and making previously elite techniques accessible to ordinary fraudsters. Common AI-assisted scams include voice-cloned "grandparent scams," months-long fake relationship "pig butchering" schemes with cryptocurrency investments, synthetic identity fraud, sextortion with AI-generated images, and fake product reviews and job postings. To protect themselves, people should remain skeptical of urgent money requests especially via phone calls from claimed family members, verify identities through independent channels, and slow down decision-making during high-pressure situations.

Interpol arrested 260 cybercrime suspects across 14 African countries in Operation Contender 3.0, dismantling 81 criminal networks involved in romance scams and sextortion schemes. The operation affected approximately 1,500 victims with total losses of $2.8 million, with perpetrators using fake profiles, forged identities, and stolen images to commit fraud through fake courier fees and blackmail schemes. Romance scams and sextortion continue to affect millions globally across all ages and genders.

Sextortion scams, primarily perpetrated by Nigerian "Yahoo Boys," have targeted young boys online by impersonating peers on social media, coercing them into sending nude images, then blackmailing them for money—with at least 5 confirmed suicides in Canada and over 40 across North America in the past four years. Scammers openly share exploitation techniques and resources on encrypted platforms and flaunt their ill-gotten wealth, while victims like 12-year-old Carson Cleland, who was blackmailed for just $25, face devastating psychological consequences that sometimes result in suicide.

A BBC Three documentary documents the growing epidemic of sextortion scams, particularly targeting teenage boys through social media, with unprecedented filmed access to a Nigerian scam operation ("hustle kingdom") where criminals use AI deepfake technology to impersonate victims. The UK's National Crime Agency reports approximately 110 sextortion cases monthly, while the FBI recorded 55,000 cases in 2024—more than double the number from three years prior. The documentary highlights the tragic case of 16-year-old Evan Boettler, who died by suicide in January 2024 after being blackmailed by a scammer using a fake female profile, and reveals that scammers are investing

A documentary investigation in Lagos, Nigeria reveals organized "Hustle Kingdoms"—training centers where young men are systematically taught to conduct sextortion and romance scams targeting British teenagers, with operators like "Ghost" claiming over £1 million in crypto earnings and taking 70% of victims' payments. Scammers use fake female social media profiles to solicit explicit images from minors, then extort thousands of pounds by threatening to share the photos with schools and employers, with some victims subjected to repeated demands. The scammers, including those as young as 14, display little remorse despite awareness that victims have committed suicide as a result of the blackmail.

A BBC investigation tracks a sextortion scam operation targeting teenage boys, following the 2024 death of 16-year-old Evan Boettler from Missouri, who took his own life 90 minutes after being blackmailed by a scammer posing as a girl on Snapchat. The reporter traces the digital footprint to Lagos, Nigeria, where "Yahoo Boys" and organized "Hustle Kingdom" gangs operate sextortion networks—luring victims into sharing intimate images then threatening to release them unless paid. Law enforcement has made limited progress despite the FBI's involvement, and social media platforms have refused to cooperate without court orders.

A BBC investigation tracked a sextortion scam operation targeting teenage boys, tracing the perpetrators to Lagos, Nigeria after a 16-year-old American, Evan Boettler, took his own life in January 2024 following a 90-minute sextortion extortion attack. Sextortion—where scammers pose as girls on social media to trick victims into sending intimate images, then threaten to release them unless paid—is one of the fastest-growing online crimes affecting teenagers in the US and Europe. The investigation revealed organized "Hustle Kingdom" operations in Lagos where gangs of young men systematically target victims, with scammers exploiting teenagers' fears about

A BBC investigation tracked a sextortion scammer operating from Lagos, Nigeria, who targeted 16-year-old Evan Boettler via a fake female profile on Snapchat in January 2024, extorting him for intimate images and leading to his suicide within 90 minutes of initial contact. Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing online crimes targeting teenagers in the US and Europe, with scammers—often part of organized "Hustle Kingdoms" or working independently—using fake profiles to solicit explicit images and then blackmail victims for money. The investigation revealed that many perpetrators are impoverished young men in Nigeria known as "Yahoo Boys" who operate

A sextortion network operating from Lagos, Nigeria targeted 16-year-old Evan Boettler from Missouri, using a fake female account to coerce him into sharing explicit images before blackmailing him; Evan died by suicide 90 minutes after receiving an extortion message. The investigation exposed "Yahoo Boys" operating sophisticated sextortion and romance scams from "Hustle Kingdoms" in Nigeria, deliberately targeting Western youth, though the case went unsolved when a telecom provider failed to retain digital evidence. Sextortion reports have more than doubled globally, with 55,000 cases reported in the U.S. in 2024 and 110 monthly reports in

The CBI arrested eight individuals and identified 45 suspects during Operation HAECHI-VI, an Interpol-led international operation targeting transnational cyber-enabled financial crimes including voice phishing, romance scams, sextortion, and investment fraud. The operation, conducted in coordination with the FBI and German authorities, dismantled illegal call centers in Delhi, Amritsar, and Siliguri that targeted U.S. and German nationals, resulting in the seizure of $66,340 in cash and the blocking of 30 bank accounts.

Catfishing—creating false online identities to deceive others—affects an estimated 23% of social media users and resulted in $1.14 billion in reported romance scams in 2024, though experts believe the actual figure is much higher. While catfishing itself is largely legal in the United States due to First Amendment protections, related crimes like fraud and identity theft can be prosecuted, though most police departments lack resources to pursue perpetrators effectively. Red flags include reluctance to video chat or phone call, requests for cash, and fabricated personal details; victims typically must pursue civil claims for recourse.

Internet scams have evolved from crude 1990s email cons like Nigerian prince schemes to sophisticated AI-powered deepfakes that can convincingly impersonate voices and faces, with phishing attacks emerging in the early 2000s as online banking adoption grew. Despite technological advances making fraud more convincing and difficult to detect, successful scams continue to rely on exploiting fundamental human emotions—greed, fear, compassion, and loneliness—through predictable psychological manipulation patterns that create urgency and isolate victims from support systems. Understanding how scam tactics have evolved reveals that technological complexity often masks simple psychological manipulation, and recognizing consistent underlying patterns can help potential victims identify manipulation attempts regardless of delivery method.

Crypto ATM machines at convenience stores across the U.S. have become primary tools for scammers targeting Americans, particularly seniors, who are tricked into depositing cash to resolve fabricated legal or financial emergencies. In one Arizona location alone, at least a dozen victims lost $118,000 in a year, including four people defrauded of a combined $54,000 in just four days. The crypto ATM companies profit significantly from these frauds through 20-30% markups on cryptocurrency transactions while largely failing to implement fraud-prevention measures, refusing victim refunds, and lobbying against protective legislation—with the FBI reporting Americans lost approximately $240 million to such scams in