Cameroon: fake travel sites, a phone call and 50 million CFA francs gone 🇨🇲🔐

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Cybercrime keeps claiming victims in Cameroon. In Yaoundé, two men were arrested on September 8 and 11, 2026 by the Gendarmerie’s First Region command. They are suspected of running a large online fraud that allegedly took more than 50 million CFA francs (roughly $85,000) from multiple victims through fake travel-booking and online-shopping sites.

According to early findings from the investigation, the suspects allegedly built websites that nearly perfectly copied well-known travel agencies. The imitation was polished enough to have fooled many people trying to book tickets or pay online, investigators say.

Cloned sites, real victims 🖥️

The case broke after a user filed a complaint, saying they lost 230,000 CFA francs on one of the platforms. Investigators identified and arrested two suspects. A third alleged member of the network is still being sought.

According to reports, the playbook was well rehearsed. Once victims made a first payment on the fake sites, the scammers called them. During those calls, they reportedly walked victims through a series of steps on their phones, aiming to get access to their money or to approve financial transactions in the scammers’ favor.

Social engineering, not hacking 📞

Security professionals call this social engineering. The attacker doesn’t exploit a software flaw. They exploit trust or a sense of urgency.

The phone calls were central here. This tactic, often called « vishing » (voice phishing), gets victims to carry out the actions that let fraudsters take their money themselves.

Habits that protect you 🛡️

As digital payments grow, cybercrime specialists urge caution. They advise checking that a platform is genuine before any online payment.

They also advise against following instructions given over the phone when they involve moving money or confirming a code received by SMS. That information can give fraudsters access to your financial accounts.

A reminder of what these schemes rely on ⚖️

The two suspects are expected to appear in court in the coming days. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is a reminder that cybercriminals often rely less on technical skill than on people’s trust.

Have you ever run into a fake website or a suspicious call asking you to move money online? Tell us in the comments.