A massive international operation has led to the arrest of 306 suspects across seven African countries in a crackdown on cyber-enabled scams, with authorities seizing 1,842 devices linked to fraudulent activities.
Operation Red Card, conducted between November 2024 and February 2025, targeted cybercriminal networks exploiting mobile banking, investment platforms, and messaging apps, uncovering more than 5,000 victims.
Key Developments:
- Nigeria: 130 suspects arrested, including 113 foreign nationals. Authorities seized 26 vehicles, 16 houses, and 685 devices, with some workers suspected of being trafficked into cybercrime.
- South Africa: Police dismantled a SIM box fraud syndicate, arresting 40 people and confiscating 1,000 SIM cards and 53 computers used for large-scale SMS phishing attacks.
- Zambia: 14 hackers arrested for using malware to hijack victims’ mobile banking apps.
- Rwanda: 45 fraudsters arrested for scamming victims of over $305,000 through impersonation schemes. Authorities recovered $103,043 and 292 devices.
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INTERPOL’s Neal Jetton described the operation as a major step in disrupting global cybercrime networks, warning that criminals “will not go unpunished.” The operation was backed by INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) and the UK Foreign Office, with cybersecurity firms Group-IB, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro providing technical support.
Officials emphasize that continued collaboration is crucial to combating the rising wave of cyber fraud across the continent.
