Interpol arrested 260 African romance scammers after an intensive cybercrime bust. Interpol revealed that a coordinated crackdown across Africa has led to the apprehension of 260 individuals believed to be at the centre of sophisticated online romance and extortion schemes. The meticulously planned operation, which ran throughout July and August, targeted criminal networks specialising in manipulating victims through fake online relationships. These scams, known as romance fraud and sextortion, involve perpetrators building trust and affection before demanding money or blackmailing their targets with compromising images. The human cost is immense, with Interpol confirming that over 1,400 people were swindled out of a heartbreaking US$2.8 million.