Sixteen African nations collaborated in an international crackdown on cybercrime known as Operation Red Card 2.0, resulting in 651 arrests and the recovery of over 4.3 million dollars. The two-month mission dismantled criminal networks responsible for massive financial losses through investment scams, mobile money fraud, and malicious loan applications.
Across an eight-week period ending in January 2026, law enforcement agencies targeted the digital infrastructure used by organized syndicates to exploit victims globally. Investigations linked these criminal groups to more than 45 million dollars in losses and identified over 1,200 victims who were deceived by various fraudulent schemes. To disrupt these operations, authorities seized thousands of digital devices and shut down over 1,400 malicious servers and domains. INTERPOL facilitated the mission by providing real-time intelligence and training officers in digital forensics to better track the sophisticated methods used by these transnational groups.
The operation revealed a variety of fraudulent models designed to lure unsuspecting individuals into losing their savings. In Nigeria, police disrupted a major investment fraud ring that operated out of a specially constructed residential hub, using phishing and fake digital asset schemes to defraud people. Another significant success in Nigeria involved the arrest of a syndicate that had compromised the internal systems of a major telecommunications provider to steal and resell airtime. These cases demonstrate how cybercriminals leverage high-tech tools alongside traditional social engineering to maximize their reach and impact.
In Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, authorities focused on scams that specifically targeted the financial stability of vulnerable populations. Kenyan officials arrested dozens of individuals who used messaging apps and fake testimonials to convince people to invest small amounts of money into what they believed were reputable corporations. Meanwhile, in Côte d’Ivoire, a massive seizure of mobile phones and SIM cards hampered a predatory mobile loan scheme. These fraudulent apps promised quick credit but instead harvested personal data and subjected victims to abusive debt-collection practices.
The success of the initiative was bolstered by a coalition of private sector partners and security firms that shared critical data with participating countries. By combining the expertise of international policing with private cybersecurity resources, the operation was able to strike at the heart of cybercriminal architecture. INTERPOL officials emphasized that such collaboration is essential to combatting syndicates that cause devastating psychological and financial harm to communities. This collective effort serves as a warning to cybercriminals that their digital footprints can be traced across borders.
Source: Major Africa Operation Targets Online Scams, Nets 651 Arrests And $4.3M