🚨 Operation Serengeti III dismantles thousands of malicious cyber networks One of Africa’s largest cybercrime enforcement operations has seen agencies from 21 countries: 🔵 Arrest 1,462 suspects 🔵 Disrupt 10,909 malicious networks 🔵 Recover USD 105 million in illicit funds Under INTERPOL's coordination, investigators from participating countries joined forces to combat cyber-enabled fraud, ransomware, business email compromise, online scams and digital extortion. Authorities also identified 65,929 victims targeted by cybercriminal networks, underscoring the scale and sophistication of today's digital threats. Financial investigations linked criminal activity to losses exceeding USD 385 million. ➡️ 🔗 interpol.int/en/News-and-Eve…

Police cooperation turns information into action, helping protect people and prevent harm. This @UN International Day of Police Cooperation, we’re highlighting what can happen when law enforcement and partners work together across borders and sectors. Because one connection can change what happens next. #PoliceCooperationDay

New INTERPOL report highlights escalating cyber threats across Asia and South Pacific INTERPOL’s latest Asia and South Pacific Cyberthreat Assessment Report has revealed a dramatic increase in cybercrime across the region driven by rapid digitalization, new technologies and increasingly organized criminal networks. ➡️ The report found that more than half of the countries surveyed reported cybercrime now accounting for 30% of all crimes recorded nationally. Cyber-scam techniques such as phishing have emerged as the most widespread and financially damaging form of cybercrime, with 33% of countries reporting over 10,000 cases. Other key regional trends highlighted include: 🔵 Ransomware: More than 135,000 ransomware-related attacks, affecting sectors such as real estate, manufacturing and financial services. 🔵 DDoS attacks: A 92% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. 🔵 AI-driven crime: Discussions about deepfakes on forums and channels popular among Southeast Asian threat actors increased by 600% from February to June 2024. 🔵 Phishing: 5.5 out of every 1,000 individuals had clicked on phishing links monthly – approximately twice the global average – with cloud applications the primary targets. 🔵 Data breaches: System intrusions accounted for approximately 80% of all data breaches, with malware and ransomware present in 83% and 51% of cases respectively. 🔗 Read more: interpol.int/News-and-Events…

🚨 Major operation in Africa targeting online scams nets 651 arrests, recovers USD 4.3 million Operation Red Card 2.0, carried out across 16 African countries, targeted the infrastructure and criminal groups behind: 🔵 High-yield investment scams 🔵 Mobile money fraud 🔵 Fraudulent mobile loan applications Investigations exposed scams linked to over USD 45 million in financial losses and identified 1,247 victims. Authorities also seized 2,341 devices and took down 1,442 malicious IPs, domains and servers, as well as other infrastructure. Read more on the scam models revealed during the operation ➡️🔗: interpol.int/News-and-Events…

From phishing kits to scam centres and AI-driven fraud, cybercrime has gone industrial. At the 2nd INTERPOL Cybercrime Expert Group (CyberEX) meeting and Cyber Command Course in Hong Kong, China, global experts joined forces to tackle the cybercrime ecosystem and stay ahead of evolving threats.

With the rise of AI, quantum and emerging technologies, what is next for cybercrime? INTERPOL Cybercrime Director Neal Jetton joins the @wef podcast Radio Davos to discuss how we can fight back. 🔗 Watch the full interview: wef.ch/49ywMRP

African authorities dismantle massive cybercrime & fraud networks. In a sweeping INTERPOL-coordinated operation, authorities arrested 1,209 cybercriminals targeting nearly 88,000 victims. The crackdown recovered USD 97.4 million and dismantled 11,432 malicious infrastructures.

More than 300 arrests as African countries clamp down on cyber threats The INTERPOL-led operation targeted banking, investment and messaging app scams. Authorities in seven African countries seized 1,842 devices in an operation targeting cyber attacks and cyber-enabled scams. The arrests were made as part of Operation Red Card (November 2024 – February 2025) which aims to disrupt and dismantle cross-border criminal networks which cause significant harm to individuals and businesses. In particular, the operation targeted mobile banking, investment and messaging app scams. The cases uncovered during the operation involved more than 5,000 victims. 🇳🇬 As part of the crackdown, Nigerian police arrested 130 people, including 113 foreign nationals, for their alleged involvement in cyber-enabled scams such as online casino and investment fraud. The suspects, who converted proceeds to digital assets to conceal their tracks, were recruited from different countries to run the illegal schemes in as many languages as possible. Nigerian authorities have established that some of the people working in the scam centres may also be victims of human trafficking, forced or coerced into criminal activities. Overall, the investigation led to the seizure of 26 vehicles, 16 houses, 39 plots of land and 685 devices. 🇿🇦 In a significant case from South Africa, authorities arrested 40 individuals and seized more than 1,000 SIM cards, along with 53 desktops and towers linked to a sophisticated SIM box fraud scheme. This setup, which reroutes international calls as local ones, is commonly used by criminals to carry out large-scale SMS phishing attacks. 🇿🇲 In Zambia, officers apprehended 14 suspected members of a criminal syndicate that hacked into victims’ phones. The scam involved sending a message containing a malicious link which, when clicked, installed malware to the device. This allowed hackers to take control of the messaging account, and ultimately the phone, giving them access to banking apps. The hackers were also able to use the victim’s messaging apps to share the malicious link within conversations and groups, enabling the scam to spread. 🇷🇼 During the operation, Rwandan authorities arrested 45 members of a criminal network for their involvement in social engineering scams that defrauded victims of over USD 305,000 in 2024 alone. Their tactics included posing as telecommunications employees and claiming fake ‘jackpot’ wins to extract sensitive information and gain access to victims’ mobile banking accounts. Another method involved impersonating an injured family member to ask relatives for financial assistance towards hospital bills. Overall, USD 103,043 was recovered and 292 devices were seized.

Listen to INTERPOL's Cybercrime Operations Assistant Director Enrique Hernandez Gonzalez explain Operation Serengeti on @BBCAfrica with @BBC_AudreyB. ➡️🎙️bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0kbc2… (scroll to 17:12).

Not everything is as it seems 🤖   Evolving #GenerativeAI enables scammers to create ultra-realistic human avatars using voice, image, and text manipulation.   #ThinkTwice: Verify identities through multiple channels and be cautious of requests, even from "familiar" faces.

#Phishing attacks are evolving and becoming harder to detect🪝 Remember: a moment of vigilance can protect you from falling victim to sophisticated scams. #ThinkTwice and carefully evaluate any emails from unfamiliar addresses or containing links. @JapanGov @FCDOGovUK

#DYK that 1 out of 5 employees repeatedly unknowingly run #malware? Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the decreasing levels of cybersecurity awareness at work, to infect corporate devices with infostealers. #ThinkTwice and implement #cybersecurity culture in your company.

#Ransomware attacks are on the rise, with a average 70% increase in 2023 📈 Attacks are higher in volume but lower in value. Companies are spending on average USD 2.73m in recovery costs. #ThinkTwice and provide #cybersecurity trainings for staff accessing corporate systems.

#ThinkTwice before falling victim to online scams⚠️ New campaign warns against the growing threat of cyber and financial crimes against vulnerable individuals and organizations. Learn more about the five rising online threats 🔗⬇️ interpol.int/en/News-and-Eve… @JapanGov @FCDOGovUK

Major cybercrime operation nets 1,006 suspects🖥️ Authorities across 19 African countries dismantled 134,089 malicious infrastructures and identified over 35,000 victims thanks to a joint operation by #INTERPOL and AFRIPOL against cybercrime. Full story🔗interpol.int/en/News-and-Eve…

Exploring AI's impact on policing: How will it reshape security, influence global threats, and drive socio-economic change? Experts discuss how law enforcement can harness AI's potential while tackling its challenges. Perspectives from around the world reveal a complex future.

🚨Follow our other accounts⬇️ @INTERPOL_Cyber Cybercrime Programme @INTERPOL_EC Environmental Crime @INTERPOL_CBT Capacity Building @INTERPOL_HTCE Human trafficking @INTERPOL_TIGC Illicit Goods @INTERPOL_CBRNE ☣️☢️ @INTERPOL_IC Innovation Centre @INTERPOL_STADIA Event Security