Accra, Ghana | 20 October 2026

The Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) has highlighted the importance of stronger cross-sector collaboration in combating online scams and strengthening public trust in digital financial services following the Trust & Safety Workshop hosted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and Google in Accra on 8 October 2026.

The workshop brought attention to the growing complexity of online fraud and the need for coordinated action among technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, regulators, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organisations.

As Ghana continues to expand its digital economy, protecting users from financial fraud, impersonation, social engineering, and other forms of online deception remains a critical priority.

Online Scams Are Becoming Increasingly Complex

A scam may begin with a fraudulent advertisement on social media, continue through a messaging application, and ultimately result in a victim transferring money through mobile money or another digital payment service.

This cross-platform nature of online fraud creates significant challenges for prevention, detection, reporting, and investigation.

According to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance’s State of Scams in Africa 2026 report, 82% of the 4,830 African adults surveyed reported encountering a scam during the preceding 12 months.

The finding highlights the widespread exposure to fraudulent activities and reinforces the importance of strengthening consumer protection mechanisms across Africa’s digital ecosystem.

While public education remains essential, individual vigilance alone cannot adequately address increasingly sophisticated and interconnected scam operations.

Strengthening Collaboration Across the Digital Ecosystem

A central concern highlighted by the workshop was the need to move beyond fragmented responses towards stronger institutional collaboration.

Online scams frequently involve multiple services and institutions, making it difficult for any single organisation to prevent or respond effectively to fraudulent activity.

Technology platforms may encounter fraudulent advertisements and impersonation accounts, telecommunications providers may identify suspicious communication patterns, while financial institutions may detect unusual transactions.

Connecting these capabilities through appropriate information-sharing arrangements, coordinated reporting mechanisms, and timely intervention can strengthen the collective response to online fraud.

Priority areas for greater collaboration include:

• Early detection and prevention: Strengthening mechanisms to identify fraudulent advertisements, impersonation accounts, phishing attempts, and suspicious digital transactions.

• Cross-platform coordination: Improving cooperation among technology platforms, telecommunications providers, and financial institutions to disrupt scams that move across different services.

• Accessible reporting channels: Making it easier for victims to report incidents and receive timely guidance.

• Victim support and recovery: Strengthening referral pathways and institutional responses for individuals who experience financial losses and psychological distress.

• Public awareness and digital literacy: Equipping users with practical knowledge to recognise social engineering, investment fraud, mobile money scams, and other emerging threats.

• Law enforcement collaboration: Supporting appropriate information sharing, investigations, and accountability for perpetrators.

These priorities reinforce the importance of building a digital environment in which safety is a shared responsibility rather than a burden placed solely on individual users.

Supporting Ghana’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2026

The workshop’s focus aligns with Ghana’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2026 theme:

“Securing Ghana’s Digital Finance Ecosystem: Building Trust Through Collaboration and Cyber Resilience.”

As more Ghanaians rely on mobile money, digital banking, e-commerce, and online payment platforms, maintaining confidence in these services requires effective safeguards against fraud and financial exploitation.

Cyber resilience must therefore extend beyond technical infrastructure to include consumer awareness, institutional accountability, effective incident response, and accessible victim support services.

The workshop also reinforces the importance of cooperation between public institutions and private-sector technology providers in responding to emerging threats within Ghana’s digital financial ecosystem.

GISF’s Commitment to Online Safety and Digital Consumer Protection

For the Ghana Internet Safety Foundation, addressing online scams forms part of its broader commitment to promoting responsible technology use, digital literacy, cybercrime prevention, and protection of vulnerable internet users.

Through its public education initiatives, research, digital safety advocacy, and CyberClinic Helpline 267, GISF continues to promote awareness of online risks and accessible channels through which individuals can seek guidance and support.

Online financial fraud can affect individuals across different age groups, including young adults, parents, older persons, and people with limited digital literacy. Beyond financial losses, victims may experience emotional distress, embarrassment, diminished confidence, and reluctance to report incidents.

GISF recognises that effective scam prevention requires both informed users and stronger safeguards within the systems and services they use.

The Foundation supports continued collaboration among technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, regulators, law enforcement, and civil society to strengthen prevention, improve reporting, and promote more effective responses to online financial fraud.

Building Trust Through Collective Responsibility

The GASA and Google Trust & Safety Workshop provides an important platform for advancing conversations on coordinated scam prevention and digital consumer protection.

As Ghana’s digital economy continues to grow, sustaining public trust will depend on the ability of institutions to identify emerging risks, share relevant information responsibly, intervene promptly, and provide meaningful support to affected users.

A safer digital economy cannot be built through awareness alone. It requires collaboration, accountability, effective safeguards, and a shared commitment to protecting every digital user.

GISF remains committed to contributing to these efforts through research, public education, advocacy, and partnerships that promote a safer and more trusted digital environment in Ghana and across Africa.