Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has issued a public alert following a dramatic spike in financial losses from online blackmail and sextortion scams, highlighting growing sophistication among cybercriminals and the escalating economic toll of digital fraud.
According to CSA, financial losses linked to sextortion jumped to GHS 499,044 between January and April 2025, a nearly 400% increase from GHS 103,663 recorded during the same period in 2024. The number of reported cases, however, only rose marginally to 155, suggesting a shift toward more advanced and damaging tactics.
“The data points to increasingly sophisticated methods being employed by cybercriminals and highlights the growing economic impact of such incidents,” the Authority said in the alert.
Romance as a Weapon
The CSA described how threat actors typically create fake social media profiles using attractive photos to impersonate individuals seeking romantic relationships. After gaining the victim’s trust, scammers initiate explicit video calls or solicit intimate photos.
“These sessions are secretly recorded or saved without the victim’s consent,” the statement noted. “They then threaten to release the compromising materials unless a ransom is paid, usually via mobile money. In some cases, even after payment is made, the threats continue or escalate.”
Perpetrators often shift conversations to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal to avoid detection, the alert added.
Defensive Measures Urged
In a bid to contain the growing threat, the CSA issued safety recommendations aimed at individuals and businesses. These include avoiding friend requests from unknown people, refraining from sharing intimate content online, keeping social media profiles private, and not paying ransoms under any circumstance.
“Do not pay any ransom, it encourages repeated demands and does not guarantee deletion of the stressed the importance of preserving evidence, such as screenshots and messages, x and reporting incidents promptly to authorities or trusted family members. A 24-hour cybercrime helpline is available via 292, WhatsApp at 0501603111, or by email at [email protected].
The struggle with digital fraud, which has become increasingly prevalent, education and awareness campaigns could least help.
