The FBI has detained or arrested more than 130 individuals in Ghana as part of a global crackdown on overseas scam centers that target American citizens, particularly the elderly. Investigators have identified 89 fraud victims and nearly $10 million in financial losses linked to the operation, according to information provided by the bureau. More than 300 devices were seized during the takedown.
The operation is part of Operation Blackout, the FBI's international campaign to dismantle scam compounds that prey on Americans. FBI Director Kash Patel said the effort represents a historic push to attack fraud networks at their source. «The FBI's 'Operation Blackout' is our historic, global scam center fraud demolition operation that takes apart scam compounds all over the world targeting American citizens – primarily seniors,» Patel said. «We are attacking this problem right at the source and blowing these compounds up, seizing billions of dollars, freeing thousands of trafficked workers, and protecting tens of thousands of Americans at risk of losing their hard-earned savings through these scams.»
Among those detained in Ghana were suspected trafficking victims who are expected to be repatriated to their home countries, primarily Nigeria. The FBI said the investigation remains ongoing and that the number of identified victims and financial losses is expected to grow.
The Ghana operation follows earlier warnings from Patel that international scam networks were expanding beyond Southeast Asia and the Middle East into Africa. «That's why you're seeing the migration of these scam compounds to central and sub-Saharan Africa, which is where we are already pre-positioned to take them off,» Patel told Fox News Digital in September. That same month, U.S. investigators helped authorities in Madagascar dismantle 13 scam centers linked to Chinese organized crime syndicates, processing more than 3,200 electronic devices.
Operation Blackout has seized roughly $17 billion globally, led to hundreds of arrests, and freed thousands of trafficked workers, according to the FBI. The bureau has not provided a detailed breakdown of the seized assets. The FBI also says it has warned more than 10,000 Americans about suspected scams, preventing an estimated $670 million in financial losses. The bureau previously reported that 77% of the more than 10,400 potential victims contacted through its Operation Level Up prevention initiative did not realize they were being scammed.
The crackdown in Ghana reflects a broader strategy by U.S. law enforcement to disrupt fraud operations before they reach American victims. By targeting the compounds where scams originate, the FBI aims to dismantle the infrastructure that enables these crimes and protect vulnerable populations, particularly seniors who are often targeted by such schemes.
The FBI's efforts in Africa come as scam networks continue to adapt and relocate in response to law enforcement pressure in other regions. The bureau has emphasized that it will pursue these networks wherever they operate, vowing that those who steal from Americans will find no sanctuary.