The Police say through its sustained cyber-intelligence operation have arrested 12 suspects for their involvement in cyber-related crimes.
Names of the 12 suspects were given as Gideon Kove alias Billions, Felicia Nanewortor, Carl Kristal, Safari Zatey, Eric Acquah alias Cent Mona, Richard Agbadzi, Isaac Dortsue alias Barajah, Samuel Gadre, Moses Otchie alias Razak, Yonnah Boso, Sterling Kwame Doe and Wisdom Tornyie are currently assisting the Police in investigation and will be put before the court to face justice.
Police said they are pursuing over 25 others who are currently on the run.
According to the police, investigations have established that the modus of the criminal syndicate is to impersonate or hack into the social media accounts of prominent persons including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), 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.
In a statement released, the police indicated that as part of the operation, nine hundred and seventy-three (973) fake social media accounts created by the suspects in the names of these prominent persons and corporate entities have been pulled down.
“785 of the fake accounts were in the names of MPs, 62 in the names of security officials,136 for Ministers of State, Ambassadors and some heads of institutions.
“The Police have also recovered thirty-two (32) mobile phones, three (3) laptops and fifty-four (54) SIM cards used by the suspects to commit their crimes,” it further mentioned.
Police said its operation to clamp down on cyber-related crimes has been institutionalised and urged anyone who has fallen victim to any of the above-mentioned crimes to contact their outfit for further action.
By Vincent Kubi