US and Ghanaian authorities have arrested 130 people in a crackdown on an alleged internet fraud syndicate accused of defrauding 89 victims of more than $10 million, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has said.
The arrests, which included people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in the scam compound, are part of an international operation targeting organised internet fraud networks.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the operation on Thursday in a social media post, describing it as another takedown in Ghana.
Patel also shared a photograph of US agents alongside Ghanaian authorities involved in the operation.
He did not disclose the nationalities of the victims or the alleged perpetrators.
The raid was conducted under the FBI’s Operation Blackout, an initiative targeting internet scam networks accused of defrauding victims, particularly in the United States.
“These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives,” Patel said.
Scam compounds typically operate from large houses or apartment complexes, where groups of fraudsters work together to deceive victims across different countries. Some operations have also involved people who were trafficked and compelled to participate in fraudulent activities.
The networks often target older people and others considered vulnerable to online deception, particularly in wealthier Western countries. Their methods have become increasingly sophisticated with the widespread use of the internet and artificial intelligence.
Patel said Operation Blackout had resulted in the seizure of $17 billion worldwide, adding that more than 10,000 Americans were at risk of falling victim to scams.
The operation highlights growing international concern over organised online fraud, which has affected victims across national boundaries and generated significant financial losses.
In Nigeria, internet fraudsters are popularly known as “Yahoo boys”, a label that originated from the use of Yahoo email accounts by some fraudsters in the early 2000s. Their methods have since evolved to include more elaborate online deception schemes.
Ghana has also faced growing concerns about internet and mobile money fraud. In a report last year, AFP highlighted an increase in cases involving teenagers targeting fellow Ghanaians amid economic difficulties.
The problem extends across the African continent. In February, the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) announced that police in 16 African countries had arrested 651 people during an eight-week operation targeting investment scams, mobile money fraud and fraudulent mobile loan applications.
Interpol said most of the victims in that operation were Africans, underscoring the impact of online financial crime within the continent.
The latest arrests in Ghana reflect continuing efforts by law enforcement agencies to dismantle organised fraud networks and identify people exploited in the process, as authorities intensify cooperation against cross-border cybercrime.
