US and Ghanaian authorities have arrested 130 people suspected of involvement in internet fraud schemes that allegedly defrauded 89 victims of more than $10 million, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has said.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrests on Thursday, October 8, saying the operation also uncovered people who had allegedly been trafficked and forced to work in a compound used for the fraudulent activities.
Patel shared a photograph of US agents alongside Ghanaian security officials following the operation, describing it as another major crackdown on internet fraud networks in Ghana.
The arrests form part of **Operation Blackout**, an FBI-led initiative targeting organised online scam operations.
“These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives,” Patel said in a social media post.
Authorities have not disclosed the nationalities of the victims or the suspects.
Internet scam compounds typically operate from large houses or apartment complexes, where organised groups conduct fraudulent activities targeting people in different countries. Older people in wealthier Western nations are often among their targets.
The schemes have become increasingly sophisticated with the expansion of internet access and the use of artificial intelligence to support fraudulent activities.
According to Patel, Operation Blackout has resulted in the seizure of $17 billion worldwide, while more than 10,000 Americans remain at risk of falling victim to scams.
Internet fraud remains a concern across Africa, where criminal networks use various methods to defraud individuals and businesses.
In Nigeria, online fraudsters are commonly known as “Yahoo boys”, a term that originated from the use of Yahoo email accounts in the early 2000s. The schemes have since expanded beyond email-based fraud to include more complex forms of online deception.
Ghana has also recorded cases of young people becoming involved in internet and mobile money fraud, with economic difficulties cited as one factor contributing to the trend.
In February, the International Criminal Police Organization (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.
Most of the victims in that operation were Africans, highlighting the impact of online fraud within the continent.
The latest arrests in Ghana underscore continued efforts by international law enforcement agencies to dismantle organised fraud networks and identify people exploited by criminal operations.
