Online blackmail: 226 victims lose over GH₵112K in six months – CSA

The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has noted a notable increase in incidents of online blackmail, with 226 individuals falling victim to losses totaling GH₵112,209 in the first half of 2024.

It also stated that  an additional 141 reports were submitted between March and June.

The incidents typically entail malicious actors leveraging social media platforms to establish connections, enticing victims into romantic relationships, covertly recording explicit video calls, and subsequently leveraging the material for extortion.

In an official statement sighted by Ameyaw Debrah Media, the CSA urged the public to refrain from accepting friend requests from unfamiliar parties and to employ robust passwords to safeguard confidential information.

“Following the March 2024 alert, in which the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) noted a 254% year-on-year increase in online blackmail cases for the first two months of the year, an additional one hundred and forty-one (141) reports were filed between March and June

The two hundred and twenty-six (226) cases recorded so far this year have resulted in a loss of GH¢ 112,209,” parts of the statement read.