Authorities in sub-Saharan Africa are concerned that criminal syndicates are growing in size and power due to the global economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to them, both of these have created new chances for con artists to rake in large quantities of money with little chance of being arrested.
Growing Internet Usage
In an article by The Guardian, senior law enforcement officials have warned that the expansion would have far-reaching consequences for the rest of the globe, where many victims of hugely rich fraud reside.
A surge in cybercrime has been witnessed throughout Africa, which experts relate to the continent's expanding internet usage at a time when the police and criminal justice systems are economically weakened.
Prof. Landry Signé, a Brookings Institution senior scholar and study author, said the Covid-19 crisis has advanced digitalization globally. As life progressed online, fraudsters attacked crucial digital infrastructure.
Cybercriminals' "favorite target" status throughout Africa's states has led to heavy losses, he added.
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Nigerian Black Axe Gang
Interpol has identified banking and credit card scams as Africa's most common and urgent cyber threats.
Analysts say the Covid-19 outbreak led to a continuous spike in cyber-attacks, including more than twice as many targeting online financial networks.
This month, Interpol organized a large operation in 14 nations to highlight the scope of cybercrime on the continent and beyond.
In South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Europe, the Middle East, south-east Asia, and the US, police detained more than 70 accused fraudsters related to the Nigerian Black Axe criminal network.
About 50 residences were investigated, and $1 million was seized from bank accounts. An apartment building, three vehicles, tens of thousands of dollars, and 12,000 sim cards were confiscated.
Recent searches throughout Africa targeted accused members of Nigeria's Black Axe gang, which originated as a student organization in Benin City in the 1970s and specialized in fraud.
According to US court filings seen by The Guardian, Black Axe recognized a regional headquarters in South Africa in 2013.
In Ireland, authorities found phones and other equipment related to Black Axe scammers. Investigators traced the group's vocabulary to west Africa.
A former South African criminal intelligence official said that even if there may be a drop in fraudulent activity, it does not mean the organization stopped.
The official added that these criminals do a great job of managing these operations and have found solutions to any problems.
Major Base for Organized Crimes
South Africa is a headquarters for continental organized crime, The Guardian reported.
The continent hosts Black Axe organizations and helps propagate them globally. Interpol stated Black Axe members came to South Africa to get citizenship, allowing them to go to the US, Europe, or Dubai.
Air Lords, another Nigerian network, is also operating in South Africa.
Cybercriminals in Africa often utilize online dating services and apps to con people into false relationships to steal money or personal information. Hacking and romantic fraud have grown in popularity, too.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Trisha Kae Andrada
