651 arrested in Africa-wide crackdown on online scam networks

Police across 16 African countries have arrested more than 650 suspected cybercriminals and recovered over 4.3 million US dollars in a major international crackdown on online scams.

The operation, led by INTERPOL and known as Operation Red Card 2.0, ran from December 2025 to the end of January 2026. It targeted criminal networks behind online investment fraud, mobile money scams and fake loan applications that have affected thousands of victims both in Africa and beyond.

Investigators say the schemes are linked to more than 45 million dollars in global financial losses. During the eight-week operation, authorities identified at least 1,247 victims and seized over 2,300 electronic devices used to carry out the scams. More than 1,400 malicious websites, servers and internet addresses were also shut down.

Several arrests were made in connection with high-yield investment scams that tricked victims into putting money into fake opportunities using social media platforms and messaging apps.

In many cases, fraudsters used fabricated testimonials and false account dashboards to convince victims their investments were growing, before blocking any attempts to withdraw funds.

In Côte d’Ivoire, police dismantled a mobile loan fraud network that targeted vulnerable users through deceptive apps offering quick loans. Victims were often charged hidden fees or subjected to harassment, while their personal and financial data was illegally collected.

Authorities in Nigeria also arrested members of a cybercrime group accused of gaining access to a major telecom company’s internal system using stolen staff login details. The suspects allegedly siphoned off airtime and data bundles which were then resold for profit.

INTERPOL officials say the operation highlights the growing scale of organised cybercrime and the need for stronger international cooperation to tackle fraud networks that operate across borders. Investigations are ongoing in several countries involved in the operation.