Ghanaians lost an estimated $1.3 million to mobile money (MoMo) fraud during the first quarter of 2025, according to the INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026.
The report identifies Ghana among African countries experiencing a rise in cyber-enabled financial crimes, with fraudsters increasingly targeting users of digital payment platforms.
INTERPOL says mobile money fraud has become the most common online scam across the continent, with 97% of member countries surveyed identifying it as a major cybersecurity threat.
Criminals employ tactics such as phishing, SIM-swap attacks, fake promotional offers and social engineering to gain access to victims’ mobile wallets and steal funds.
“Mobile money fraud has emerged as the most prevalent online scam reported by member countries,” the report stated, attributing the trend to the rapid expansion of digital financial services across Africa.
The report also points to Kenya as one of the hardest-hit countries, where authorities uncovered more than 123,000 fraudulent SIM cards in 2025 linked to SIM-swap operations. These schemes enable criminals to intercept one-time passwords, take over customer accounts and carry out unauthorized transactions.
INTERPOL further warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence is making online scams more sophisticated. Cybercriminals are increasingly relying on AI-generated messages, voice cloning and other deceptive techniques to trick victims into disclosing sensitive financial information or approving fraudulent transactions.
To address the escalating threat, the international policing organisation is calling for stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and telecommunications companies.
It also urged governments and stakeholders to intensify public education on cyber fraud and strengthen cybersecurity measures to safeguard users of digital financial services.
