According to information released by Ghana's Cyber Security Authority (CSA), victims of online extortion and blackmail schemes lost GH¢103,663 in total between January and April 2024, underscoring the rising financial cost of these crimes.
The importance of public knowledge and digital safety was highlighted by the CSA's May 2 public notice, which disclosed that 155 sextortion-related cases were registered over that four-month period. Even though there were only a few incidents documented, the financial losses were substantial, showing how even a few successful frauds may have a big economic effect.
The CSA noted that the average amount of extortion per victim had also grown, adding, "This development points to the increasing sophistication of cybercriminal operations and the deepening economic impact of such crimes."
The Authority claims that offenders often utilise phoney social media identities, which usually include eye-catching photos, to entice people into private online chats. According to the CSA, "the criminals pose as possible romantic partners in an effort to gain trust and persuade their targets to share intimate photos or participate in explicit video calls." The victims are then blackmailed for money, often via mobile money transfers, using these that have been surreptitiously filmed or stored.
The Authority cautioned that harassment seldom stops when such requests are complied with. According to the CSA, "paying the ransom rarely stops the threats; in many cases, the harassment continues or escalates." Additionally, cybercriminals often move their communications to encrypted platforms such as Telegram or WhatsApp, which makes it more difficult for investigators to track them down.
The CSA is responding by advising people to be more cautious while using the internet. Ghanaians were cautioned against accepting friend requests from strangers, particularly those whose online conduct soon becomes manipulative or personal. The statement underlined that social media accounts should be kept safe and confidential and that explicit content should never be posted online.
The CSA also encouraged people to stop communicating with blackmailers as soon as they were discovered and to never keep sensitive or nude material on their devices.
The statement also advised the public not to pay ransoms in any situation, adding, "Victims should preserve all evidence—screenshots, usernames, payment details, and messages—and report the incident to the CSA." Additionally, it urged people impacted to look for emotional assistance from dependable family members, friends, or licensed counsellors.
According to the CSA, the GH¢103,663 loss reported in early 2024 should serve as a reminder of how expensive internet mistakes may be. The Authority said it would keep collaborating with partners to safeguard Ghanaians from being exploited online as cybercrimes grow more complex.
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