A call from your “son” in tears, saying he has been arrested and needs money now. A video of a famous pastor or the President promoting an investment that “doubles your money”. With AI, scammers can fake voices and faces convincingly. Here is how to stay a step ahead.

What is happening in Ghana

  • The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has warned about AI-generated videos of officials and public figures, including the President and MPs, promoting fake investments and unapproved medical products, mostly on Facebook.
  • Broadcaster Bernard Avle’s voice was reportedly cloned in 2024 to promote a fraudulent product.
  • INTERPOL’s 2026 African cyber threat report said Ghanaians lost an estimated US$1.3 million to MoMo fraud in the first quarter of 2026, with social engineering among the main tactics.

How voice-clone calls work

  1. Scammers collect a few seconds of someone’s voice from social media videos or voice notes.
  2. AI copies the voice.
  3. They call a relative with an emergency (arrest, accident, hospital) and ask for money urgently, often by MoMo.

Protect your family

  • Agree a family code word that is never posted online. In any emergency call asking for money, ask for it.
  • Hang up and call back on the number you already have.
  • Slow down: urgency is the scammer’s main tool.
  • Limit public voice notes and videos of children and older relatives.

Spot deepfake videos

  • Lips slightly out of sync with the words.
  • Odd blinking, blurry edges around the face, strange lighting.
  • A famous person promoting a “guaranteed return” scheme. That alone is a red flag.
  • Check official pages and trusted news. Verify investments with the SEC and Bank of Ghana, and medicines with the FDA, as the CSA advises.
Report AI scams to the Cyber Security Authority: call or text 292, WhatsApp 0501603111, or email report@csa.gov.gh.

More: how to spot a fake investment platform and how to spot a mobile money scam.

This guide was checked in October 2026. Menus and services change, so if something looks different on your phone, check with your provider.

Common questions

Can scammers really copy someone’s voice?

Yes. AI tools can imitate a voice from short recordings. Ghanaian broadcaster Bernard Avle’s voice was reportedly cloned in 2024 to promote a fake product.

How do I know a video of a public figure is fake?

Check whether official channels and trusted news report it. The CSA advises verifying investment and health claims with regulators like the Bank of Ghana and FDA.

What is a family code word?

A secret word your family agrees on, used to confirm it is really them in an emergency call asking for money.

Where do I report deepfake scams?

To the Cyber Security Authority: call or text 292, WhatsApp 0501603111, or email report@csa.gov.gh.

Sources