In a sweeping international operation against cyber-enabled scams, authorities in seven African nations have arrested 306 suspects and seized 1,842 devices as part of Operation Red Card—a coordinated crackdown on cross-border fraud. Conducted between November 2024 and February 2025, the operation targeted criminals exploiting mobile banking, investment platforms, and messaging apps, affecting over 5,000 victims worldwide.
Key Arrests and Seizures
Nigeria
Nigeria accounted for the largest number of arrests, with 130 suspects taken into custody, including 113 foreign nationals linked to online scams and investment fraud. Authorities suspect that some individuals were trafficked and forced into cybercrime operations. Seized assets included:
- 26 vehicles
- 16 houses
- 685 electronic devices
South Africa
Authorities dismantled a SIM box fraud scheme, which was used for large-scale SMS phishing attacks. Law enforcement arrested 40 suspects and confiscated:
- 1,000 SIM cards
- 53 desktop computers
Zambia
Police arrested 14 hackers responsible for distributing malware-laced messages that hijacked victims’ phones and banking applications, allowing criminals to siphon funds.
Rwanda
Authorities arrested 45 suspects in 2024 for scams totaling over $305,000. Fraudsters impersonated telecom officials and fake family members to trick victims into revealing sensitive financial data. Seizures included:
- $103,043 recovered
- 292 electronic devices confiscated
Global Cooperation in the Fight Against Cybercrime
INTERPOL’s Neal Jetton hailed the operation as a major step in combatting cyber fraud, warning criminals that they “will not go unpunished.” Operation Red Card was backed by INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) and the UK Foreign Office, with additional support from cybersecurity firms Group-IB, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro.
Other participating countries included Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo. Officials stress that ongoing international cooperation is crucial to tackling the growing threat of cyber-enabled financial fraud across Africa and beyond.
