Rise in romance scam cases is alarming, with 107 cases being investigated since 2021 - EOCO

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has raised an alarm over the rising cases of romance scams in Ghana.

EOCO has disclosed 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), EOCO called for a whistleblowing strategy to address the growing threat of romance fraud.

Speaking on behalf of EOCO’s Executive Director, Director of Administration Edward Cudjoe assured the Ghanaian public that the organization remains committed to tackling financial fraud.

He stated at the event on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, that approximately 2 million Ghana cedis had been recovered in 2024 alone.

“We are handling about 107 active cases. We have received referrals from international organizations and other sister agencies, including the FBI. Locally, we are working with the Financial Intelligence Centre, the NTA, and others through what we call the mutual legal assistance regime,” he said.

“There is a need for a more collaborative approach to tackling these issues, particularly in intelligence sharing,” he noted.

The NCA UK, on its part, called for international cooperation in the fight against romance scams, stressing that cross-border collaboration among law enforcement agencies is crucial in tracking down perpetrators.

“We encourage everyone to join this effort and report suspicious activities to the authorities. Both EOCO and NCA are committed to working together to minimize this menace by joining forces to protect the public from the devastating effects of romance fraud,” it added.