Pan African Visions

Cybercrimes: Cameroon lost FCFA7billion to Scamming in 13 years

August 08, 2023

By Lateu Synthia

Internet fraud, notably scamming, was rated as one of the most dangerous and common cybercrimes affecting cyberspace in the country

BUEA, August 8, 2023 – The Director General of the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies, ANTIC, Prof Ebot Ebot Enaw has estimated Cameroon's financial losses to cyber scamming at FCFA 7 billion since 2010.

Speaking during a three-day seminar in Limbe, South West region of the country, to raise the awareness of magistrates and judicial police officers of the region on cyber security and cybercrimes, he revealed that, scamming represented about 80% of cybercrime cases in the country in 2021.

Internet fraud, notably scamming, was rated as one of the most dangerous and common cybercrimes affecting cyberspace in the country. Other cybercrimes included mobile money scams used for cyber blackmail or money extortion from victims; stealing credit card details and manipulating victims into transferring money from their mobile accounts to cybercriminals.

Phishing, he furthered, made up about 27.8% of cybercrime cases in Cameroon in 2021 with the introduction of e-banking services by banks accounting for a rapid increase.

“…nearly 6,000 incidents of identity theft have been reported wherein cybercriminals usurp the identities of high-profile state dignitaries and state institutions, of which 4,000 have been closed down, thanks to the collaboration between ANTIC and Facebook,” Prof Ebot Ebot noted.

Prof Ebot Ebot identified magistrates as key players in the fight against cybercrime.  "The final decisions in a criminal case rest with them (magistrates) and the quality of their decisions have a direct bearing on the work we do at ANTIC, acts as a deterrent, and helps build trust and confidence in the entire judicial process,” He explained and encouraged all stakeholders constantly raise awareness continuously train actors of the cyber security chain.

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