TikTok Scams: Over 6,000 Suspicious Phone Numbers Linked to Fraud in Ghana

• Scam verification platform TrustGH identified more than 6,000 telephone numbers flagged through community reports and cybersecurity investigations
• TikTok emerged as the largest single source of reported scam activity, accounting for approximately 50% of flagged numbers in TrustGH's database
• Over 90% of reported cases involved attempts to steal Mobile Money payments or access victims' accounts without authorisation

Scam verification and reporting platform TrustGH has identified more than 6,000 telephone numbers connected to suspected fraudulent activities in Ghana, raising fresh concerns about the scale of digital fraud targeting mobile phone users across the country.

In a statement released on Monday, 31 August, TrustGH said the numbers were uncovered through a combination of public reports submitted by community members and open-source intelligence work carried out by its team of certified cybersecurity professionals.

TrustGH's findings point to TikTok as the dominant platform used by fraudsters, with roughly half of all reported scam numbers traced back to activity originating on the video-sharing app.

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SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Google Business Profiles, telephone calls and fake websites also featured prominently among the identified channels.

The platform noted a common pattern in which scammers use TikTok to draw in potential victims before migrating those conversations to WhatsApp, SMS or direct phone calls to execute the actual fraud.

Most reported cases relied on social engineering, with perpetrators posing as bank officials, government representatives, company executives, police officers, recruitment agents and business owners to establish trust before soliciting money or account access.

Mobile Money Accounts Under Threat

The data indicates that more than 90 per cent of cases involved efforts to obtain Mobile Money payments or gain unauthorised access to victims' Mobile Money accounts.

Beyond Mobile Money fraud, scammers have also deployed fake online shops, bogus recruitment schemes, lottery promotions, fraudulent business profiles and phishing attempts to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

TrustGH confirmed it is collaborating with the Cybersecurity Authority and the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service to support ongoing investigations into the flagged numbers.

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"Members of the public can verify and report suspicious numbers through TrustGH.com," the statement added, urging Ghanaians to use the platform before engaging with unfamiliar contacts.

Source: YEN.com.gh