Latest Scams

🕵️ Recent Scam Incidents & Crackdowns

  1. Pan-Africa Online Romance / Extortion Scam Crackdown
    Interpol arrested 260 suspects in 14 African countries in “Operation Contender 3.0”, focusing on romance & sextortion scams. allAfrica.com+2CitiNewsroom.com+2
    • Over 1,400 victims, with losses of nearly USD 2.8 million. allAfrica.com+1
    • Ghana: 68 people arrested, 108 identified victims, ~USD 450,000 lost. CitiNewsroom.com
    • Methods used: fake profiles with stolen/forged photos, emotional manipulation, fake customs/courier fees, blackmail using intimate content. CitiNewsroom.com+1
  2. Surge in Deepfake- & AI Driven Scams in South Africa
    • Deepfake-related scam incidents rose ~1,200% in a year, heavily targeting banking & fintech sectors. iAfrica.com
    • Scammers impersonated the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in WhatsApp videos, promising unrealistic returns (e.g. ~30%) via so-called AI trading platforms. Finance Magnates+1
    • Also, deepfake videos featuring prominent public figures (politicians, well-known personalities) are being used to promote fake investment platforms. The Herald+1
  3. Spike in Scams & Phishing in Kenya & Across Africa
    • Kenya saw a large increase in cyber scam reports in 2023-24 – over 100% rise. The Star
    • Phishing remains the top mode of cyber attack: fake websites, spoofed emails/messages, etc. The Star+1
    • New AI-assisted threats: deepfake voices or images, more realistic impersonation. Tnx Africa
  4. Crypto Theft & “Pig Butchering” Growth
    • Crypto scams are up significantly in 2025. In particular, “pig butchering” schemes (where fraudsters groom victims over time, often via romance/relationship or friendship, then convince them to invest in fake crypto ventures) have stolen large amounts. CoinBlockLab
    • One huge hack: ByBit hack, attributed to North Korean attackers, appearing as one of the largest crypto thefts, contributes to major yearly totals. Outlook Money
  5. Scams in Scotland / UK
    • Fake QR Codes in Perth, Scotland: over 170 bogus QR stickers placed on parking machines (purported to be for payment via “RingGo”) to trick users. The Scottish Sun
    • Losses from cyber scams in Scotland amounting to ~£860,000 in a 12-month period. Advice Direct Scotland notes a more than 1,000% increase in digital scam reports over recent years. The Standard
    • OneCoin case: US Supreme Court declined to hear appeal related to OneCoin scam (this was a major investment fraud in crypto). Reuters
  6. “Bride-Posing” Crypto Scam in India
    • A man was duped of ~₹59.5 lakh by somebody posing as a prospective bride (who claimed to be based in the Netherlands). They built trust, showed small profits, then asked for more, seemingly for “tax/service fees”, then went silent. The Times of India

🔍 Key Trends & Tactics to Note

  • AI / Deepfake Tools: Scammers are using AI-generated voices, videos, deepfake personas to impersonate public figures, regulators, bank officials, or loved ones. Makes verification harder. The Herald+2Finance Magnates+2
  • Romance + Sextortion: Many scams start with emotional / romantic relationships (online), then move to asking for money, or blackmail with intimate content. euronews+1
  • Fake Investment Platforms + Crypto Scams: Offer high returns, often via fake crypto trading / apps or wallets. They often allow small withdrawals initially to build trust, then demand more money or “verification/tax/fee” payments. The Times of India+2Finance Magnates+2
  • Impersonation Scams: Pretending to be regulators, well-known individuals, or authorities to gain trust. The Herald+1
  • Social Engineering / Phishing: Messages or websites mimicking legitimate ones; fake QR codes (as in the UK), fake WhatsApp messages, etc. The Scottish Sun+2TimesLIVE+2