A large-scale crackdown on online fraud has led to the arrest of 260 suspects across 14 African countries in an operation targeting sextortion and romance scams.
The sting, coordinated by Interpol with support from the UK, dismantled networks that used social media and digital platforms to swindle victims and blackmail them with explicit images.
Authorities say more than 1,400 victims in Ghana, Kenya, Angola and other countries were identified, with financial losses estimated at nearly $2.8 million (Sh361.7 million).
"It doesn't take long before you develop a connection with somebody... and very quickly this trust is shattered," said Neal Jetton, Interpol’s director of cybercrime, describing how perpetrators exploit online relationships.
He noted that while victims were of different age groups, older people were most frequently affected.
The joint operation, conducted between July and August, involved tracking IP addresses, domains, social media profiles and digital infrastructure linked to the syndicates.
Police seized forged documents, USB drives, Sim cards and shut down 81 cyber-crime groups across the continent.
Interpol said the crackdown is part of its wider strategy to stop networks that prey on vulnerable people online.
"Cyber-crime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams," said Cyril Gout, acting executive director of police services at Interpol.
He added that the rise of digital platforms had created fresh opportunities for exploitation, leading to financial and emotional damage for victims.
In Ghana, 68 suspects were arrested. Investigators seized 835 devices and identified 108 victims, recovering $70,000 from losses estimated at $450,000. Scammers there used multiple tricks, from fake courier and customs fees to recording intimate chats and blackmailing victims with explicit videos.
In Senegal, police arrested 22 people and dismantled a ring that impersonated celebrities to trick 120 victims, stealing around $34,000. Authorities seized 65 devices, fake IDs and money transfer records.
Ivory Coast authorities arrested 24 suspects, confiscated 29 devices and identified 809 victims. Offenders there used fake profiles to threaten exposure unless victims paid money.
In Angola, eight people were arrested and 28 victims identified. The group used fraudulent documents to hide their identities while targeting victims through social media.
Other countries that participated in the operation included Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.
"Whenever we ask a country to rank your top cyber threat, without fail, it is always online scams. It is very difficult to combat these kinds of crimes - millions of people click on [phishing emails] per day," Jetton told the BBC.