INTERPOL has revealed it arrested 306 people across seven countries in Africa as part of an extensive campaign to combat online scams, including some related to fake lotteries and casinos.
Operation Red Card began in November 2024 and concluded last month, with local law enforcement in Zambia, Togo, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin assisting.
One of the biggest crackdowns was in Nigeria, where police apprehended 130 people, most of whom were involved in running fraudulent investment sites and online casinos. The suspects tried to hide the proceeds using cryptocurrency.
fake lottery scheme in Rwanda that used social engineering to defraud people worldwide
Another major scam was a fake lottery scheme in Rwanda that used social engineering to defraud people worldwide. Police arrested 45 people in the country after they swindled more than US$305,000 in 2024. The scammers pretended that the victims had won the lottery and obtained sensitive information from them to access their bank accounts.
Talking about the success of Operation Red Card, INTERPOL Director of the Cybercrime Directorate Neal Jetton said it “sends a strong message to cybercriminals that their activities will not go unpunished.”
