African Cybercrime Crackdown: 651 Suspects Arrested in Global Operation

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African Law Enforcement Agencies Crack Down on Cybercrime, Arrest 651 Suspects

A coordinated effort by law enforcement agencies across 16 African countries has resulted in the arrest of 651 suspects and the recovery of over $4.3 million in a crackdown on cybercrime.

The Operation

The operation, dubbed Red Card 2.0, targeted investment fraud, mobile money scams, and fake loan applications, and was coordinated by the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC).

Results

Between December 8 and January 30, authorities identified 1,247 victims and linked the cybercrime operations to over $45 million in financial losses. In addition to the arrests, 2,341 devices were seized, and 1,442 malicious websites, domains, and servers were taken down.

Notable Arrests

In Nigeria, police dismantled an investment fraud ring that had recruited young people to run phishing, identity theft, and fake investment schemes. Over 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts were taken down in the process. Additionally, six members of a Nigerian cybercrime gang were arrested for using stolen employee credentials to breach a major telecom provider.

In Kenya, 27 suspects were apprehended while investigating fraud networks that used social media and messaging platforms to lure victims into fake investment schemes. In Côte d’Ivoire, 58 suspects were arrested as part of a crackdown on predatory mobile loan apps that targeted victims with hidden fees and abusive debt-collection practices.

According to Neal Jetton, head of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, “These organized cybercriminal syndicates inflict devastating financial and psychological harm on individuals, businesses, and entire communities with their false promises.”

Jetton emphasized the importance of collaboration in combating transnational cybercrime and encouraged victims to reach out to law enforcement for help.

Previous Operations

This operation is the latest in a series of efforts by African law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime. Last year, 306 suspects were arrested in the first stage of Operation Red Card, and thousands of arrests and multiple multimillion-dollar operations have been disrupted or dismantled in recent years, following operations such as Serengeti and Africa Cyber Surge.