The Ghana Police Service has arrested three individuals for allegedly impersonating public officials and engaging in an elaborate online fraud scheme targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
According to a press statement issued on Monday, December 22, the arrests were made following a sustained intelligence-led operation carried out by the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team, covering the Volta Region, particularly the communities of Sogakope, Dabala, Dzodze, and Penyi.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Gideon Awudi (25), Edem Soku (33), and Judith Soku (31). Preliminary investigations suggest that the individuals created and operated fraudulent social media accounts, impersonating prominent public officials, including the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, and the Inspector-General of Police, among others.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects created and operated fake social media accounts impersonating high-profile public officials, including the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin; the Inspector-General of Police, and several other prominent personalities, with the intent to defraud unsuspecting victims.”
According to the Ghana Police Service, the suspects exploited these fake accounts to deceive members of the public, posing as trusted personalities to gain their confidence and defraud them.
The scheme involved various online fraudulent activities, with the suspects attempting to manipulate victims into making financial transactions.
A senior officer from the Police Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team revealed, “The suspects used sophisticated methods to impersonate high-profile individuals. This led to several members of the public falling prey to their tactics. Our team worked tirelessly, utilising intelligence to track and apprehend these individuals.”
In addition to social media impersonation, further investigations have uncovered that the suspects were involved in several other cybercrimes.
These included mobile money fraud, credit card fraud, airtime sales fraud, and scams on online marketplaces.
“Further investigations revealed that the suspects are also involved in various cybercrimes, including mobile money fraud, credit card fraud, airtime sales fraud, and online marketplace scams across multiple social media platforms.”
The fraudsters targeted multiple social media platforms to perpetrate their crimes, exploiting the anonymity of the internet.
The arrested suspects have been transferred to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters for further investigation.
“The suspects have since been handed over to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) at the CID Headquarters for further investigation and will be processed for court in accordance with the law,” the statement read.
The police have confirmed that the suspects will be processed for court in due course.
The Police Service assured that a thorough investigation will continue to unearth the full extent of the fraud activities.
The Ghana Police Service urged the public to remain vigilant during online financial transactions and to verify the authenticity of social media accounts they engage with.