Ghanaian authorities have dismantled a major cyber-fraud network operating across Ghana and Nigeria that scammed more than 200 victims out of over $400,000.
The operation was part of a continent-wide cybercrime crackdown coordinated by INTERPOL.
The syndicate was exposed during Operation Sentinel, which targeted business email compromise, digital extortion, and ransomware threats highlighted in INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report.
Investigators said the network used professionally designed websites and mobile apps to impersonate popular fast-food brands, collecting online payments from unsuspecting customers without delivering any orders.
INTERPOL confirmed that ten suspects were arrested in Ghana, over 100 digital devices were seized, and 30 fraudulent servers used in the scam were taken down.
The Ghana-Nigeria network was among several high-impact cases uncovered during Operation Sentinel, which led to 574 arrests across Africa, the removal of over 6,000 malicious links, and the decryption of six ransomware variants.
The crackdown highlighted how cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting consumer trust in familiar brands to commit cross-border fraud, making detection and enforcement more challenging.
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, emphasised the importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime.
“The scale and sophistication of cyberattacks across Africa are increasing, particularly targeting critical sectors like finance and energy. Operation Sentinel demonstrates how coordinated efforts by African law enforcement and international partners can protect livelihoods, secure personal data, and safeguard critical infrastructure,” he said.
INTERPOL noted that partnerships with private sector companies were crucial in tracing IP addresses, disrupting criminal networks, and helping authorities freeze illicit financial assets linked to the fraud.
Operation Sentinel was conducted under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime and supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the European Union, and the Council of Europe through the GLACY-e project.
The arrests come amid rising concerns about cybercrime in Africa, with INTERPOL reporting that two-thirds of surveyed African countries now classify cybercrime as a medium to high share of all criminal activity.
