FBI Disrupts Major Scam Centers in Ghana, 130+ Detained and 300+ Devices Seized

The FBI has announced another disruption of scam centers in Ghana as part of Operation Blackout , resulting in the arrest or detention of over 130 individuals and the seizure of more than 300 devices.

FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators have identified 89 victims and reported nearly $10 million in losses linked to the ongoing operation.

The figures reflect an investigation still developing, not a completed prosecution. Patel emphasized that those arrested or detained include victims who will be repatriated to their countries. Therefore, the total number should not be interpreted as exclusively suspected scammers.

FBI Disrupts Scam Centers

In his on announcement, Patel described the action in Ghana as part of the FBI’s international campaign against scam compounds targeting American citizens. He characterized Operation Blackout as the bureau’s “global scam center fraud demolition” and said more developments would follow.

The nearly $10 million in reported losses reflects funds identified so far, not money recovered during the Ghana operation. Similarly, the 89 identified victims figure is separate from the individuals arrested or detained, including those awaiting repatriation.

The announcement did not specify the locations of the scam compounds, the participating Ghanaian agencies, the criminal charges, or the nationalities of those detained. It also did not clarify whether the identified victims were targeted through investment fraud, impersonation, romance scams, or another scheme.

The seizure of more than 300 devices constitutes a significant part of the reported enforcement action. However, Patel’s statement did not identify the types of devices, describe any forensic findings, or disclose the communication platforms and financial infrastructure the operators used.

For cybersecurity experts, these omissions limit the ability to conclude the underlying attack chain. The announcement does not provide information such as malware names, phishing domains , cryptocurrency addresses, account identifiers, or other indicators of compromise.

Thus, while it supports reporting on the scale of the disruption, it does not attribute the operation to a specific technical toolkit or fraud network.

Including victims among those detained is crucial to understanding the operation. Patel mentioned that affected victims would be repatriated but did not provide a separate count for this group.

In the broader context of Operation Blackout, Patel reported approximately $17 billion in seized assets, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested, and thousands of trafficked workers freed. He also noted that more than 10,000 Americans had been warned before losing money, with estimated prevented losses reaching $670 million.

These figures cover the entire operation and are not specific to Ghana. The announcement did not break down the seized assets or explain the methodology used to estimate the prevented losses.

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