The Togolese National Police has apprehended a group of 13 Nigerian cybercriminals, with two additional thieves also taken into custody, including an individual who was a wanted suspect.
Some individuals with expertise in stealing valuables from parked vehicles, often by smashing windows. An incident occurred on August 19th in Lomé, where they committed such a theft. However, a swift investigation led to the arrest of L. Kossi. The second suspect, identified as A. Koumengou, specialized in shoplifting textiles from boutiques.
Additionally, a group of 13 Nigerian cybercriminals was arrested on September 30th. They specialize in online scams, creating counterfeit profiles on social media to establish fraudulent romantic relationships.
According to security authorities, these Nigerian cybercriminals are adept at extorting substantial sums of money from their victims, commonly referred to as “love chat scams.” During their arrest, several digital devices were seized, providing crucial evidence to the authorities.
Last month, the United States Department of Justice started a collaboration with Togolese law enforcement to intensify the battle against cyber fraud, specifically in West Africa, where a variety of scams, including those targeting older and vulnerable Americans, have been on the rise. These joint efforts come in response to alarming statistics. According to the U.S authorities, in 2022 nearly 70,000 reported romance scams with $1.3 billion in losses, along with over 21,000 complaints about business email compromise schemes, resulting in $2.7 billion in losses. These figures underscore the necessity of international cooperation in combating fraud.
