Ghana lost $105 million to cyber criminals in Accra alone in 2018 – CID

The Head of the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Dr. Herbert Yankson, has expressed worry over the alarming rate of cybercrime in the country.

Over 50 cybercrime cases are recorded by the Ghana Police Service monthly.

Ghana lost over $105 million to cybercriminals in Accra alone in 2018.

Despite efforts to combat the increasing trend, the quest to go digital increases the vulnerability of the country to cybercrime.

ACP Dr. Herbert Yankson is advocating that the country builds capacity to investigate crime within the cyberspace.

“In 2016, we lost $35 million, in 2017 it increased to $69million and then in 2018 it further increased to $105million. But remember that this might not be the real figures, this is only at the CID Headquarters. We are trying to establish some of this unit in all the regional capitals but we’ve not been able to do so. Currently, we only have one in Kumasi that is even at the infant stage, so this is just at the CID Headquarters. The alarming rate is worrying and it is something that we need to come together and realize that this is something that is going to bring this economy down so we should wake up.”

ACP Dr. Herbert Yankson was speaking to Security Analyst and Host of ‘Alert’ aired on Starr FM Tuesday evening.