The Police, through a sustained cyber-intelligence operation, have arrested 12 suspects and are pursuing 25 others for their involvement in cyber-related crimes.
According to the Police, investigation has established that the modus operandi of the criminal syndicate is to impersonate or hack into the social media accounts of prominent persons, including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Heads of Government Institutions, and corporate entities, to defraud unsuspecting victims of various sums of money by promising them jobs, scholarships, publication of fake promotional advertisements and sale of products among others.
A statement issued in Accra said 973 fake social media accounts created by the suspects in the names of these prominent persons and corporate entities have been pulled down.
There were 785 fake accounts in the names of MPs, 62 in the names of security officials, and 136 in the names of Ministers of State, Ambassadors, and some heads of institutions.
The Police have also recovered thirty-two mobile phones, three laptops, and fifty-four SIM cards used by the suspects to commit crimes.
The statement said the operation to clamp down on cyber-related crimes has been institutionalised. The Police therefore urge anyone who has fallen victim to any of these crimes to contact 0249850601 for further Police action. This is a dedicated number solely for this exercise.
The twelve suspects, so far arrested, are Gideon Kove alias Billions, Felicia Nanewortor, Carl Kristal, Safari Zatey, Eric Acquah alias Cent Mona, and Richard Agbadzi. The others are Isaac Dortsue alias Barajah, Samuel Gadre, Moses Otchie alias Razak, Yonnah Boso, Sterling Kwame Doe, and Wisdom Tornyie.
They are currently assisting the Police in their investigations and will be put before the court to face justice.