01 Oct Group-IB supports INTERPOL’s successful operation against cybercrime in Africa

Group-IB announced its collaboration with INTERPOL in ‘Operation Contender 3.0,’ which resulted in the arrest of 260 suspects across 14 African countries.

This operation targeted cybercriminal networks involved in romance scams and extortion schemes, leading to the seizure of 1,235 electronic devices and nearly USD$2.8 million in financial losses among 1,463 victims.

Group-IB provided critical investigative intelligence that assisted law enforcement in tracing the financial flows and identifying perpetrators.

In Ghana alone, 68 suspects were arrested, uncovering 108 victims linked to scams resulting in USD$450,000 in losses. Additional arrests in Senegal and Angola involved scams leveraging fake identities and exploiting victims through social media platforms.

“Cybercrime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as extortion 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,” said Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL.

“Cybercriminals behind romance scams and extortion deliberately exploit some of the deepest human vulnerabilities, such as trust and emotional attachment,” said Dmitry Volkov, CEO of Group-IB. “They manipulate victims by taking advantage of their feelings and personal relationships, turning genuine emotions into tools of deception and coercion. We are grateful to INTERPOL and all participating authorities for their swift response and tireless efforts for this operation. Through our ongoing partnership with INTERPOL, Group-IB remains committed to dismantling these networks and protecting individuals from both financial devastation and profound psychological harm.”