In an unprecedented show of cross-border cyber defence, Nigerian law enforcement, alongside counterparts in six African nations, is spearheading Operation Red Card—an aggressive move targeting online fraud syndicates sweeping across the continent.
The joint international operation, which ran from November 2024 to February 2025, witnessed arrests and seizures in Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia.
The operation is part of a broader collaboration between INTERPOL and the African Development Bank Group aimed at dismantling sophisticated financial crime and cyber fraud networks in Africa.
According to INTERPOL, the criminals are employing tactics such as impersonating telecoms staff to promise fake “jackpot” wins or pretending to be injured family members needing urgent medical funds—tactics designed to manipulate victims and gain access to mobile banking platforms.
INTERPOL: Operation Red Card dismantling cross-border crime networks
“This operation is disrupting and dismantling cross-border criminal networks which are causing significant harm to individuals and businesses,” says INTERPOL in a statement seen by Technology Times.
In Nigeria alone, authorities arrested 130 suspects, including 113 foreign nationals. The Nigeria Police Force confirmed the crackdown is exposing sprawling scam centres operating under the guise of online casinos and fraudulent investment platforms. Alarmingly, some individuals found in these centres are victims of human trafficking, coerced into executing online fraud schemes.
South African authorities are also making headway—arresting more than 40 suspects and seizing over 1,000 SIM cards used in phishing scams.
Zambia is reporting the apprehension of 14 members of a suspected criminal syndicate, while Rwanda is confirming 45 arrests.
According to INTERPOL, the criminals are employing tactics such as impersonating telecoms staff to promise fake “jackpot” wins or pretending to be injured family members needing urgent medical funds—tactics designed to manipulate victims and gain access to mobile banking platforms.
Cybersecurity company, Kaspersky, is playing a crucial role in the operation, providing INTERPOL with forensic intelligence on a malicious Android app targeting African users and the underlying infrastructure driving the attacks.
“By analysing the malicious applications and the servers they connect to, we are helping law enforcement track down and neutralise the source of these scams,” according to Kaspersky.
The scale of Operation Red Card is underscoring the digital threat landscape in Africa, where over 5,000 people are being affected by scams involving mobile banking, messaging, and investment apps. Law enforcement officials have confiscated 1,842 devices during the sweep, pointing to the massive digital footprint of these criminal enterprises.
Observers are calling the operation a pivotal moment in Africa’s cybersecurity evolution. The emphasis on multinational collaboration is setting a new standard for how digital crime is being tackled across borders.
As Operation Red Card continues to unfold, authorities are urging digital vigilance and cross-sector cooperation to sustain momentum in the fight against cyber-enabled crime.
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