Nigeria lead wit highest number of arrested suspects for Interpol cybercrime bust across Africa
Di Interpol reveal say na for seven African kontris di operation happun wia authorities gbab a total of 306 suspects.
According to Interpol, di operation target mobile banking investment and messaging app scams wia dem also discover more dan 1,500 victims.
"Di arrests na part of Operation Red Card, from November 2024 to February 2025, wey aim to stop and scatter cross-border criminal networks wey dey cause major harm to individuals and businesses"
"Authorities for seven African kontris don arrest 306 suspects and seize 1,842 devices for international operation wey dey target cyber attacks and cyber-enabled scams."
Di seven African kontris wey involve for di Operation Red Card na Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo and Zambia.
Dis kontris exchange criminal intelligence on key targets wia Interpol bin provide information on di mode of operations of criminal based on data from dia partners.
Nigeria dey lead wit di highest numbers of arrested suspects while Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia dey follow.
Kontris and numbers of suspects Interpol arrest
Nigeria
For Nigeria, Interpol confam arrest of 130 pipo wey involve 113 foreign pesin wey involve for cyber scams and investment fraud.
Remember say di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for Nigeria bin release details of how dem burst one ogbonge criminal group full of oyibo pipo wey dey do internet fraud, wey pipo sabi as 'yahoo yahoo', for di kontri.
Di EFCC arrest bin happun for December 2024, wia di agency find say some foreign nationals dey recruit young Nigerians, train dem, give dem equipment like computers and smartphones, even open profiles for dem on top social media wey dem go dey use to dey do all kain fraud like romance scams, investment scams and cryptocurrency wayo.
According to Interpol, "Nigerian police arrest 130 pipo, including 113 foreign nationals, for dia alleged involvement for cyber-enabled scams such as online casino and investment fraud."
Interpol say di suspects dey recruit pipo from different kontris and languages wia dem go also try to cover dia illegal work.
"Nigerian authorities don establish say some of di pipo wey dey work for di scam centres fit also be victims of human trafficking, wey dem force into criminal activities," Interpol tok
Dem add say di investigation bin lead to 'seizure of 26 vehicles, 16 houses, 39 plots of land and 685 devices for Nigeria.
Rwanda
During di Interpol international operations, Rwandan authorities arrest 45 members of a criminal network wey dey involve for social engineering scams dat lead to recovery of thousands of dollars.
According to Interpol, Rwanda authority catch di criminal network afta dem don defraud victims of ova $305,000 US dollar for 2024 alone.
How dis ones dey operate na to disguise to be telecom employees and collect sensitive information to fit gain access to victim phones and bank accounts.
"Anoda method involve impersonating family member wey wunjure to ask relatives for financial assistance towards hospital bills," according to Interpol.
Dem reveal say na about $103,043 US dollars dem recova and seize 292 devices.
South Africa
For South Africa, Interpol confam arrest of 40 suspects wey dia own operation include to dey change international calls to local ones so as to carry out dia criminal attacks.
Dem also seize ova 1,000 sim cards wey di criminals dey take do large sms attacks.
"From South Africa, authorities arrest 40 individuals and seize more dan 1,000 SIM cards, along wit 53 desktops and towers wey dey linked to a sophisticated SIM box fraud scheme."
"Dis setup wey dey change international calls as local ones na im criminals dey use well-well to carry out large-scale SMS phishing attacks," Interpol tok.
Zambia
Na about 14 suspected members dem arrest for Zambia wey dey hack into pipo phones.
Dem suspects dey also send malicious messages wit link wey be say if di victim don open di link, e go install dangerous malware into di phone.
Na through dis format di suspects dey hack into phones and access banking apps of di victims.
"For Zambia, officers catch 14 suspected members of a criminal syndicate wey hack into victims phones.
"Dis allow hackers to take control of di messaging account, and ultimately di phone and give dem access to banking apps."
Interpol add say how dis criminal gangs dey operate be say dem go fit 'use di victim messaging apps to share di malicious link within conversations and groups wey go enable di scam to spread.'
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