In a blow to cybercrime in Africa, authorities across 14 countries have apprehended 260 suspects involved in large-scale online scams, seizing over 1,200 electronic devices in the process. This pan-African operation, carried out between July 28 and August 11, 2025, specifically targeted transnational cybercriminal networks engaged in romance scams and sextortion, two of the most damaging forms of cybercrime.
The operation, dubbed Operation Contender 3.0, focused on disrupting networks that exploited social media platforms and digital communication tools to manipulate victims and extract illicit funds. Romance scams, which rely on building fake online relationships to swindle victims financially, and sextortion, where offenders blackmail victims using explicit content, formed the core of the crackdown.
Authorities employed advanced cyber investigation techniques, tracing IP addresses, digital infrastructures, social media accounts, and domains linked to the suspects. This approach led to the seizure of 1,235 devices, including USB drives and SIM cards, along with forged documents. Furthermore, 81 cybercrime infrastructures across Africa were dismantled, marking a significant operational success.
Operation Contender 3.0: Financial Impact and Victims
The investigation identified 1,463 victims across the continent, with estimated financial losses nearing USD 2.8 million. These figures highlight the serious economic toll that cybercrime in Africa continues to exact on individuals and communities.
In Ghana, where authorities arrested 68 suspects, 835 devices were confiscated. The Ghanaian investigation uncovered 108 victims who collectively lost approximately USD 450,000, with law enforcement managing to recover USD 70,000.
The scammers employed fake profiles, forged identities, and stolen images to deceive victims, often extracting payments through schemes like fake courier and customs fees. Sextortion victims were targeted through secretly recorded intimate videos during explicit online chats, which offenders then used for blackmail.
Senegal’s police arrested 22 individuals linked to a network that impersonated celebrities and manipulated victims emotionally via social media and dating platforms. Around 120 victims lost an estimated USD $34,000. Investigators seized 65 devices, forged IDs, and money transfer records as part of their probe.
In Côte d’Ivoire, law enforcement dismantled a ring that created fake online profiles to coerce vulnerable people into sharing intimate images. These images were subsequently used to extort money by threatening public exposure. Authorities arrested 24 suspects, seized 29 devices, and identified 809 victims within this operation.
Angolan authorities arrested 8 suspects involved in similar activities. These criminals primarily operated on social media, using fraudulent documents to create fake identities that concealed their true identities while engaging with victims. Investigators found that 28 domestic and international victims fell prey to this group.
International Cooperation and Private Sector Partnerships
Operation Contender 3.0 was conducted with critical support from INTERPOL, alongside private sector partners Group-IB and Trend Micro, enhancing data sharing and operational capabilities. INTERPOL facilitated swift information exchange through cyber activity reports, underscoring the importance of international collaboration in combating cybercrime in Africa.
Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL, commented on the operation’s significance:
“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.”
Broader Context and Support
Operation Contender 3.0 is part of the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen law enforcement capacities across the continent.
The urgency of addressing cybercrime in Africa is further highlighted by INTERPOL’s June 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, which found that two-thirds of surveyed African member countries regard cyber-related offenses as comprising a medium-to-high proportion of their total crime.
The countries involved in the operation include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.
