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A recent crackdown on cybercrime carried out by law enforcement agencies from 16 African countries has led to the arrest of 651 suspects and the recovery of over $4.3 million in seized funds, as part of an initiative codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0.
A recent crackdown on cybercrime resulted in the arrest of 651 suspects and recovery of over $4.3 million in seized funds.The operation targeted high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud, and fraudulent mobile loan applications.Over $45 million in financial losses were linked to scams identified during the operation, with 1,247 victims worldwide.African law enforcement agencies conducted the initiative under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) partnership.Notable cases included a high-yield investment fraud ring and six members of a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate arrested in Nigeria.Operation Red Card 2.0 demonstrates growing efforts to combat transnational cybercrime in Africa.
A recent crackdown on cybercrime carried out by law enforcement agencies from 16 African countries has led to the arrest of 651 suspects and the recovery of over $4.3 million in seized funds, as part of an initiative codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0. This operation, which took place between December 8, 2025, and January 30, 2026, was a follow-up to the first phase of Operation Red Card, which resulted in the arrest of 306 suspects and the seizure of 1,842 devices.
The scope of Operation Red Card 2.0 was extensive, with the operation targeting high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud, and fraudulent mobile loan applications. The initiative was conducted under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC), a partnership between law enforcement agencies from 16 countries in Africa.
According to INTERPOL, investigations carried out during the eight-week operation exposed scams linked to over $45 million in financial losses, with 1,247 victims identified, mostly from the African continent but also from other regions of the world. The operation also saw authorities confiscating 2,341 devices and taking down 1,442 malicious IPs, domains, and servers, as well as other related infrastructure.
Some notable cases that were brought to light during Operation Red Card 2.0 include a high-yield investment fraud ring that recruited young individuals to carry out cyber-enabled crimes using phishing, identity theft, social engineering, and fake digital asset investment schemes. Nigerian authorities dismantled this ring, which took down over 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts.
Another notable case involved six members of a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate who were arrested by Nigerian authorities for breaching the internal platform of a major telecommunications provider through compromised staff login credentials. This scheme involved stealing significant volumes of airtime and data for illegal resale.
In Kenya, authorities arrested 27 individuals in connection with a fraud scheme that used messaging apps, social media, and fictitious testimonials to deceive victims into making fake investments by promising them huge returns. Victims were shown bogus account statements or dashboards to keep up the ruse, but were blocked from making any withdrawals.
Côte d'Ivoire authorities also made significant gains during Operation Red Card 2.0, arresting 58 individuals and seizing 240 mobile phones, 25 laptops, and over 300 SIM cards to disrupt a predatory mobile loan fraud scheme that primarily targeted vulnerable populations through fake mobile applications and messaging services. This scheme enticed victims with promises of unsecured loans and then trapped them in extra fees, abusive debt-collection practices, and theft of sensitive personal and financial data.
These arrests and seizures demonstrate the growing efforts by law enforcement agencies across Africa to combat transnational cybercrime. INTERPOL's director of the Cybercrime Directorate, Neal Jetton, noted that these organized cybercriminal syndicates inflict devastating financial and psychological harm on individuals, businesses, and entire communities with their false promises.
"Operation Red Card highlights the importance of collaboration when combating transnational cybercrime," said Mr. Jetton. "I encourage all victims of cybercrime to reach out to law enforcement for help."
The second phase of Operation Red Card comes almost a year after INTERPOL announced the arrest of 306 suspects and seizure of 1,842 devices as part of the first wave of the operation that transpired between November 2024 and February 2025.
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Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/African-Cybercrime-Crackdown-INTERPOL-Operation-Red-Card-20-Seizes-651-Suspects-and-Recovered-43-Million-ehn.shtml
Published: Thu Feb 19 13:38:03 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
