A large-scale international law enforcement operation targeting online fraud networks across Africa has resulted in 651 arrests and the recovery of more than USD 4.3 million, underscoring the growing scale and sophistication of cyber-enabled financial crime on the continent. The initiative, known as Operation Red Card 2.0, was carried out between December 2025 and January 2026 and involved coordinated action by authorities in 16 countries, with support from INTERPOL and multiple private-sector partners.
The operation focused on dismantling infrastructure behind several prevalent scam models, including high-yield investment fraud, mobile money scams and fraudulent loan applications. Investigators linked the cases uncovered during the operation to estimated financial losses exceeding USD 45 million and identified more than 1,200 victims across Africa and beyond. Authorities also seized over 2,300 electronic devices and disrupted more than 1,400 malicious IP addresses, domains and servers, significantly weakening the operational capacity of the criminal networks involved.
The investigation revealed how organised cybercrime groups rely on a combination of social engineering, digital platforms and compromised systems to defraud victims. In Nigeria, law enforcement dismantled a major fraud ring that recruited individuals to conduct phishing attacks, identity theft and fake cryptocurrency investment schemes. More than 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts were taken down, and investigators identified a residential property used as a central hub for coordinating the group’s activities. In a separate case, Nigerian authorities arrested members of a network that infiltrated a telecommunications provider’s internal systems, diverting airtime and data for illegal resale.
Elsewhere, Kenyan authorities arrested suspects involved in investment scams that used fabricated testimonials and manipulated online dashboards to convince victims to transfer funds. In Côte d’Ivoire, a targeted operation led to dozens of arrests linked to mobile loan fraud schemes that exploited vulnerable users through deceptive applications, high fees and abusive collection tactics, while also harvesting sensitive personal data.
INTERPOL facilitated intelligence sharing, digital forensics support and real-time coordination between participating countries. Officials emphasized that such cooperation is essential to tackling transnational cybercrime, which increasingly exploits cross-border financial systems and digital infrastructure.
The operation highlights the expanding threat posed by online scams and the need for sustained international collaboration, improved technical capabilities and proactive reporting by victims to disrupt evolving criminal ecosystems.