INTERPOL Operation Red Card 2.0 Arrests 651 Cybercriminals Across 16 African Nations

Law enforcement agencies from 16 African countries arrested 651 cybercrime suspects during Operation Red Card 2.0. The joint effort ran from December 8, 2025, to January 30, 2026, under INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime coordination. Officers recovered $4.3 million and identified 1,247 victims linked to $45 million in losses.

Authorities seized 2,341 devices and shut down 1,442 malicious websites, domains, and servers. The operation targeted high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud, and fake loan apps. INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate head Neal Jetton called the syndicates devastating to communities. Collaboration proved essential against cross-border threats.

Nigeria led with major busts. Police dismantled investment fraud rings recruiting youth for phishing and fake crypto schemes. They closed over 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts. Another raid nabbed six suspects who breached a telecom using stolen employee credentials to resell airtime and data.

Kenya arrested 27 suspects running social media investment scams. Côte d’Ivoire took down 58 linked to predatory loan apps with hidden fees and harassment tactics. INTERPOL partnered with Cybercrime Atlas, Team Cymru, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Uppsala Security for intelligence.

Neal Jetton : “Operation Red Card highlights collaboration when combatting transnational cybercrime.”

Participating Countries Table

Country	Arrests	Key Actions Performed
Nigeria	Highest	Fraud rings dismantled, 1,000+ accounts closed
Kenya	27	Social media investment scam networks
Côte d’Ivoire	58	Predatory loan app crackdown
Others (13)	Balance	Mobile money fraud, phishing rings

16 nations total: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Operation Results Summary

Metric	Total Impact
Arrests	651 suspects
Funds Recovered	$4.3 million USD
Victims Identified	1,247 individuals
Losses Linked	Over $45 million USD
Devices Seized	2,341 phones/computers
Infrastructure Down	1,442 websites/domains/servers

Eight-week operation yielded massive disruption.

Major Nigerian Busts

Nigeria delivered strongest results:

• Investment fraud recruited youth for phishing operations.
• Telecom breach syndicate stole credentials for airtime resale.
• Over 1,000 fake social media accounts terminated.

Cross-border intelligence accelerated arrests.

Country-Specific Highlights

Key national operations:

• Kenya: 27 arrests from messaging platform investment scams.
• Côte d’Ivoire: 58 suspects in abusive mobile loan schemes.
• Nigeria: Telecom breach gang caught with stolen employee logins.

Youth recruitment networks heavily targeted.

INTERPOL Cybercrime History

Red Card 2.0 follows successful predecessors:

• Red Card 1.0 (2024-2025): 306 arrests, 1,842 devices seized.
• Operation Serengeti: Over 1,000 arrests continent-wide.
• Africa Cyber Surge: $40M operations dismantled.

Thousands arrested in recent years.

Victim Assistance Call

INTERPOL urges reporting:

• Contact local law enforcement immediately.
• Provide transaction details and communications.
• Preserve phishing messages and fake websites.

Collaboration key to recovery.

Scam Types Disrupted

Targeted criminal methods:

• High-yield investment fraud (crypto, forex).
• Mobile money platform scams.
• Fake loan apps with predatory terms.
• Phishing and social engineering.
• Identity theft operations.

$45M losses exposed.

Future Implications

Operation demonstrates AFJOC effectiveness:

• Cross-border intelligence sharing works.
• Private sector partnerships accelerate takedowns.
• Youth recruitment pipelines broken.
• Infrastructure seizures prevent reemergence.

Red Card 3.0 likely planned.

FAQ