JUST IN: Police arrest 12 cyber fraudsters impersonating MPs, ministers, security officers, CEOs on social media
JUST IN: Police arrest 12 cyber fraudsters impersonating MPs, ministers, security officers, CEOs on social media
Twelve people have been detained, according to the Ghana Police Service, for engaging in illegal cybercrimes.
The accused used social media to impersonate famous people in order to con unsuspecting victims, according to a statement released by the Ghana Police Service on March 2, 2023.
“The Police are seeking over 25 more individuals for their participation in cyber-related offences after arresting twelve (12) defendants as part of a protracted cyber-intelligence investigation.
“Investigation has established that the criminal syndicate’s modus operandi is to impersonate or hack into the social media accounts of prominent persons including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), Heads of government institutions, and corporate entities to defraud unsuspecting victims of various sums of money by promising them jobs, scholarships, publication of false promotional advertisements, and sale of products among other things,” the police said.
Gideon Kove alias Billions, Felicia Nanewortor, Carl Kristal, Safari Zatey, Eric Acquah alias Cent Mona, Richard Agbadzi, Isaac Dortsue alias Barajah, Samuel Gadre, Moses Otchie alias Razak, Yonnah Boso, Sterling Kwame Doe, and Wisdom Tornyie were named as the identities of the 12 suspects.
The police also stated that over 900 false social media profiles created by the accused had been deleted as a result of the operation to combat cybercrime.
Nine hundred and seventy-three (973) phony social media profiles that the suspects made using the identities of these well-known people and companies have been taken down as part of the operation. The names of 785 of the phony accounts belonged to members of parliament, 62 to security personnel, 136 to ministers of state, ambassadors, and other organization leaders.
Thirty-two (32) mobile phones, three (3) computers, and fifty-four (54) SIM cards that were used by the suspects to carry out their crimes have also been found by the police, the statement continued.
The police have also instructed members of the public who have been harmed by the suspects in custody to call the 0249850601 operation-specific phone number for further assistance.
According to the police, the suspects are collaborating with investigations and will be brought before the court to answer for their crimes.
