Data released from the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has disclosed that financial losses from online blackmail and sextortion in Ghana have increased to GH¢499,044 in the first four months of 2025.
The figure increased from the GH¢103,663 recorded during the same period in 2024.
CSA data also shows a slight increase in reported cases between January and April 2025 compared to the 155 cases documented in the same timeframe last year.
According to the Authority, those behind these crimes use fake social media accounts, often featuring attractive profile images, to lure victims into romantic conversations.
After building trust, they manipulate victims into sharing explicit content, which is then used for extortion.
Individuals who fall victim to these scams are forced by the perpetrators to pay ransoms via mobile money under threats that compromising images or videos will be posted online.
Despite making these payments, the perpetrators go ahead to threaten their victims.
To avoid detection, attackers often shift conversations to encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.
The CSA has therefore advised the Ghanaian public to remain vigilant—avoid engaging with unfamiliar online profiles, never share intimate content online, and report suspicious activity through its 24-hour cybersecurity support channels.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
