In a major international operation, authorities in seven African countries have arrested more than 300 individuals linked to cybercrime. Operation Red Card, led by Interpol, targeted hackers involved in mobile banking fraud, investment scams, and phishing schemes. The crackdown, which took place between November 2024 and February 2025, resulted in the seizure of nearly 2,000 devices and the recovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from victims. Over 5,000 individuals and businesses were affected by these cybercriminal networks.
Nigeria saw the highest number of arrests, with 130 individuals taken into custody, including 113 foreign nationals. Authorities seized 685 devices, 26 vehicles, 16 houses, and 39 plots of land. Many suspects worked in scam centers, with some potentially being victims of human trafficking, forced into cybercriminal activities.
In South Africa, police dismantled a sophisticated SIM box fraud operation, arresting 40 individuals and seizing over 1,000 SIM cards. Meanwhile, Rwandan authorities arrested 45 people involved in social engineering scams, recovering over $100,000. These criminals posed as telecommunications representatives or distressed family members to trick victims into revealing sensitive information.
Zambian authorities arrested 14 hackers running a phone-hacking operation, using malicious links to take over victims’ devices and access banking apps.
Operation Red Card was supported by cybersecurity firms like Group-IB, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro, highlighting the growing threat of cybercrime in Africa and the importance of global collaboration in combating online fraud.
