Cameroon and Chad: Cybercrime targets vulnerable populations

Cybercrime is seeing a worrying increase in Cameroon and Chad, according to data from the Observatory on Violence and Organized Crime in Central Africa published on September 27, 2026. Increasingly well-organized criminal networks are deploying sophisticated strategies to extort funds from the most fragile populations, particularly young people and those in precarious economic situations, leading to heavy financial losses for families.

In Cameroon, scammers frequently impersonate government initiatives related to agriculture or entrepreneurship. They create fake websites and social media groups to entice victims into paying fictitious administrative fees. Another method, dubbed the "Dubai Dream," promises fake jobs abroad in order to obtain payments from candidates in search of opportunities, according to experts interviewed by RFI.

In Chad, where internet access is more restricted, fraudsters favor SMS. They pose as banking institutions or humanitarian organizations, directly targeting refugee and displaced populations. Although the sums requested are often modest, hovering around 25,000 FCFA, the repetition of these acts constitutes a major financial gain for the criminal networks operating between N'Djamena, Yaoundé, Douala, Buea, and several neighboring countries.

Faced with this phenomenon, investigations remain rare because victims rarely file complaints. Specialists emphasize the urgency of increased cooperation between African states to dismantle these criminal infrastructures. A reinforced mobilization of resources is considered essential to secure the digital space and protect citizens against these actions, which further weaken the most exposed social strata within the sub-region.

Our perspective

The multiplication of cyber scams in Cameroon and Chad highlights the vulnerability of populations in the face of the digital divide and precariousness. Protecting citizens against these criminal networks is a matter of sovereignty and social justice. It is up to states to strengthen the protection of digital rights to ensure that innovation serves human development rather than the exploitation of the most fragile.