Africa's cybercrime losses exceed 275.5 billion CFA francs since 2024, Interpol reports

This figure represents a significant increase from the previous 109.3 billion CFA francs, with losses more than doubling in two years, rising from 192 million dollars to 484 million dollars. Interpol attributes this surge to the proliferation of scams utilizing new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, along with identity theft and automated social engineering campaigns that enable cybercriminals to target more victims. Online scams remain the most frequently reported form of cybercrime in Africa, with criminals exploiting mobile money platforms, social networks, and AI tools to make their attacks more credible and harder to detect.

The study also reveals that 72% of surveyed countries reported the presence of fraud centers, predominantly in West and Southern Africa, which organize large-scale scams, phishing, identity theft, and financial fraud. Interpol also highlights the rise of digital sextortion and online harassment, increasingly facilitated by AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic content, with approximately 600,000 sextortion detections recorded. In response to these evolving threats, Interpol urges African countries to enhance digital investigative capabilities, improve information sharing among authorities, banks, and telecommunication operators, and develop the skills of specialized ser