Over 6,000 telephone numbers linked to suspected fraudulent activity have been identified by TrustGH, a scam verification and reporting platform, with a staggering 50% of those cases traced directly to TikTok.
In a statement issued Monday, August 31, the platform revealed that the flagged numbers were uncovered through a combination of community reporting and open-source intelligence (OSINT) conducted by its team of certified cybersecurity professionals.
The data paints a worrying picture of Ghana’s digital safety landscape, with SMS and WhatsApp also contributing significantly to the reported cases, alongside Facebook, Google Business Profiles, direct phone calls, and fake websites.
TrustGH identified TikTok as the largest single source of scam activity in its database, accounting for roughly half of all reported numbers.
According to the platform, fraudsters are increasingly using the video-sharing app as a hunting ground to lure victims before shifting conversations to encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp or SMS to finalise their schemes.
The analysis reveals that more than 90% of reported incidents involve attempts to extort Mobile Money (MoMo) payments or gain unauthorised access to victims’ accounts.
TrustGH described this trend as a “significant cybersecurity concern,” given the critical role mobile financial services play in Ghana’s economy.
Scammers are employing sophisticated social engineering tactics, impersonating bank officials, government representatives, police officers, recruitment officers, and legitimate business owners. Other common ruses include fake online shops, lottery promotions, and phishing websites.
TrustGH confirmed it is actively collaborating with the Cybersecurity Authority and the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service to support investigations.
The public is encouraged to verify and report suspicious numbers via TrustGH.com.
