Ghana recorded an estimated $1.3 million in losses from mobile money (MoMo) fraud during the first quarter of 2025, underscoring the growing threat of cybercrime and digital financial fraud, according to the INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026.
The report identifies Ghana as one of several African countries experiencing a sharp rise in mobile money scams, as cybercriminals continue to exploit the rapid growth of digital payment platforms and online financial services.
According to INTERPOL, mobile money fraud has become the most widespread form of cyber-enabled financial crime across Africa. A survey conducted among member states found that 97% of participating countries consider MoMo fraud a major cybersecurity challenge.
The report states that fraudsters commonly use phishing attacks, SIM-swap fraud, fake promotional offers, identity theft, and social engineering tactics to gain unauthorized access to victims’ mobile money accounts and steal funds.
INTERPOL warns that the increasing adoption of mobile payment services has created more opportunities for cybercriminals to target unsuspecting users, resulting in significant financial losses across the continent.
The report also highlights Kenya as another hotspot for mobile money fraud. Authorities there reportedly discovered more than 123,000 fraudulent SIM cards in 2025 that were linked to large-scale SIM-swap operations used to compromise customer accounts.
According to the international law enforcement agency, criminals are exploiting weaknesses in mobile payment systems to intercept one-time passwords (OTPs), hijack user accounts, and conduct unauthorized financial transactions.
Additionally, the report warns that advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are making online scams increasingly sophisticated. Cybercriminals are now leveraging AI-generated messages, cloned voices, deepfake technology, and other digital deception techniques to trick victims into revealing sensitive financial information or approving fraudulent money transfers.
To combat the growing wave of cyber fraud and online financial crime, INTERPOL is calling for stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, mobile network operators, and telecommunications companies. The organization also recommends expanding public awareness campaigns and strengthening cybersecurity measures to better protect users of digital financial services across Africa.
Keywords: Ghana mobile money fraud, MoMo fraud Ghana, INTERPOL African Cyberthreat Report 2026, cybercrime in Ghana, online scams, SIM swap fraud, phishing attacks, digital payment security, cybersecurity Africa, AI scams, financial fraud, mobile money security, cyber threats.
Source: newsthemegh.com