- Fraudsters Target Customers as Social Engineering Overtakes System Hacking – Cyber Security Authority Warns
Ghana’s fight against digital fraud is increasingly becoming less about criminals breaking into protected systems and more about fraudsters manipulating ordinary consumers into surrendering money, personal data and access to their financial accounts.
The Cyber Security Authority has warned that social engineering, phishing, cloned websites and brand impersonation now account for a significant share of digital fraud complaints, as criminals shift their attention from corporate technology infrastructure to the customers who use digital services.
Speaking during JoyNews’ Digital Economy Forum, Stephen Cudjoe, Deputy Director-General for Technical Operations at the Cyber Security Authority, said fraudsters had realised that it is often easier and cheaper to deceive individuals than to attack the systems of banks, merchants and large companies.
“Social engineering is probably the biggest driver of the reports we receive,” he said. “In most of the cases we look at, there has been some form of trickery.”
His comments point to a deeper vulnerability in Ghana’s fast-growing digital economy. As more consumers use mobile money, online banking, digital lending platforms, food delivery services, e-commerce pages and social media-based businesses, criminals are exploiting the trust users place in familiar brands and convenient online channels.
Mr Cudjoe said the complaints received by the Authority often involve deception rather than direct technical intrusion. Fraudsters pose as trusted institutions, imitate legitimate websites, send phishing messages or manipulate victims into disclosing payment details, passwords, one-time pins or other sensitive information.
The warning followed a discussion about a fraudulent website designed to resemble the online platform of fast-food company KFC. The cloned website reportedly appeared prominently in internet search results, making it difficult for some customers to distinguish it from the company’s genuine platform.
Victims who attempted to place orders through the fraudulent site were allegedly induced to provide financial information. After that, their accounts were emptied. In some cases, criminals reportedly went further by accessing digital credit facilities and borrowing money in the names of the victims.
The case illustrates the changing face of cybercrime. Fraudsters are no longer relying only on crude text messages or suspicious phone calls. They are combining cloned websites, paid advertisements, search engine visibility and compromised online accounts to create digital environments that look credible enough to deceive unsuspecting users.
“If an attacker wants to attack a company’s system, it will take time,” Mr Cudjoe said. “But if they want the company’s customers’ money, it is easier to go after the customers.”
That observation captures the economics of modern fraud. Attacking a bank’s core system may require sophisticated tools, time, insider knowledge and high risk. Deceiving hundreds of customers through a fake website or impersonation campaign may require far less effort, while still generating significant returns for criminals.
Mr Cudjoe explained that criminals could purchase online advertisements using the names of popular companies, manipulate search results or compromise the accounts of company employees through phishing emails. Once access is obtained, attackers can alter contact details, payment instructions or other public-facing information without immediately alerting the affected business.
This creates a difficult problem for consumers. In the past, digital safety advice often focused on avoiding unfamiliar links or suspicious-looking websites. Today, fraudulent platforms may carry the logo, language, colour scheme and search visibility of a legitimate brand. The deception is no longer always obvious.
For businesses, the warning is equally serious. A company may have strong internal systems, but still suffer reputational damage if fraudsters successfully impersonate its brand and harm customers. In that sense, cybersecurity is no longer only an internal IT issue. It has become a brand protection, consumer confidence and business continuity issue.
Mr Cudjoe said one of the biggest difficulties facing the Authority is that many fraudulent websites are hosted outside Ghana. This means requests to take them down often require engagement with foreign hosting companies, platform operators and regulatory agencies.
For relatively straightforward cases, malicious websites can be removed within 24 hours. But more sophisticated platforms may remain active for longer while international takedown processes continue. During that delay, fraudsters can keep reaching victims, collecting details and moving funds.
To address the problem, the Cyber Security Authority is exploring infrastructure that would allow identified malicious websites to be temporarily blocked within Ghana while permanent international takedown requests are being processed.
The proposed arrangement would involve cooperation with local internet service providers. Under such a system, users accessing the internet through Ghanaian networks would be prevented from reaching a fraudulent website, even if the overseas hosting provider has not yet removed it.
That approach could mark an important shift in Ghana’s cyber response framework. Instead of waiting entirely on foreign takedown procedures, local blocking could reduce the window within which fraudsters continue to exploit victims.
But implementation will require clear safeguards. Any system that allows websites to be blocked must be fast enough to stop fraud, but transparent enough to prevent abuse. It must also include clear verification standards so that legitimate websites are not wrongly disrupted.
Mr Cudjoe also urged companies to monitor their digital footprints more proactively. He said businesses can deploy tools that scan the internet for websites, social media pages, advertisements and other digital assets using their names, logos and slogans without authorisation.
Such monitoring would allow companies to detect impersonation campaigns early, initiate takedown procedures and warn customers before large numbers of people are affected.
The recommendation is particularly important for consumer-facing businesses. Restaurants, banks, retailers, telecom companies, travel operators, delivery platforms, utilities and fintech firms all depend heavily on digital trust. If customers cannot tell which website, payment number or social media page is authentic, fraud risk increases and digital adoption suffers.
The broader lesson from the Authority’s warning is that Ghana’s digital economy cannot be protected by technical systems alone. Firewalls, encryption and secure banking platforms matter, but they do not protect consumers who are tricked into handing over their details to criminals.
A credible anti-fraud strategy must therefore combine public education, rapid reporting, company monitoring, platform cooperation, internet service provider support and faster intervention by regulators.
Consumers also have a role to play. Mr Cudjoe urged the public to conduct additional checks before making online payments, especially where a website, phone number or social media account has not been independently verified.
That advice may sound simple, but it is increasingly central to financial safety. Consumers must verify web addresses, avoid clicking sponsored links blindly, cross-check phone numbers from official sources, be cautious about payment redirections, and treat urgent requests for financial details as warning signs.
For Ghana, the stakes are high. The country’s digital economy is expanding quickly, supported by mobile money, online commerce, digital credit, e-government services and cashless payment systems. But every successful fraud incident weakens public confidence and slows the transition to a more digital marketplace.
The Cyber Security Authority’s message is therefore clear: the weakest point in Ghana’s digital fraud chain is often not the system, but the person using it.
Criminals have discovered that trust can be hacked even when technology is secure. The next phase of Ghana’s cybersecurity fight must therefore protect not only networks and platforms, but also the human judgment on which digital transactions depend.
