Interpol: AI drives over half of cybercrime in Africa

A new report from Interpol reveals that artificial intelligence is now responsible for more than half of all cybercrime cases on the African continent. Organized criminal groups are increasingly utilizing generative AI to automate entire attack chains, making scams faster, cheaper, and harder to detect.

Common methods include the creation of convincing deepfake videos and voice recordings to impersonate family members, corporate executives, or government officials. Criminals also use AI to write persuasive phishing emails in local languages. These tools facilitate various types of fraud, such as romance scams, extortion, business email compromise, and identity theft.

Interpol warns that many law enforcement agencies in African nations currently lack the necessary resources and technical expertise to combat this rapidly evolving threat. The organization is calling for strengthened international cooperation, increased data sharing between countries, and greater investment in digital forensics to protect individuals, businesses, and financial institutions.