The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has raised concerns over the growing prevalence of romance scams in Ghana, revealing that it has been investigating at least 107 related cases since 2021.
Speaking at the launch of a fraud reporting campaign in partnership with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA UK) on March 5, EOCO highlighted the critical role of whistleblowing strategies in combating the increasing threat of romance fraud.
Romance scams, which have become one of the most widespread forms of fraud in Ghana, are being exacerbated by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to deceive victims.
At the event, EOCO announced that approximately 2 million Ghana cedis had been recovered in 2024 alone.
“We’ve been dealing with around 107 active cases, with referrals from international organizations, including the FBI. Locally, we are collaborating with the Financial Intelligence Center, the NTA, and other agencies through mutual legal assistance channels,” EOCO revealed.
The newly launched campaign, which partners with NCA UK, aims to utilize whistleblower mechanisms to more effectively combat romance fraud.
Edward Cudjoe, Director of Administration at EOCO, speaking on behalf of the Executive Director, emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach to tackling financial fraud, particularly through enhanced intelligence sharing.
The NCA UK also stressed the need for international cooperation in addressing romance scams, noting that cross-border collaboration is vital in tracking down perpetrators.
“We encourage everyone to report suspicious activities to EOCO. Both EOCO and NCA are committed to working together to protect the public from the devastating effects of romance fraud,” the NCA UK stated.
