iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
INTERPOL says authorities in seven African countries arrested 306 suspects and seized 1,842 devices during Operation Red Card, a coordinated crackdown on cybercrime that ran from November 2024 through February 2025. Cases uncovered involved more than 5,000 victims. The alleged schemes varied by country, ranging from investment and online casino fraud to SIM-box operations, malicious links and impersonation scams.
What was Operation Red Card?
Operation Red Card was an INTERPOL-coordinated operation targeting mobile-banking, investment and messaging-app scams. It involved authorities in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo and Zambia. INTERPOL announced the results on 24 March 2025, reporting 306 arrests, 1,842 devices seized and more than 5,000 victims in cases uncovered. These are figures reported by INTERPOL, not independently audited totals in the reports available here. An arrest is not a conviction.
The cases did not involve one uniform scam across all seven countries. Reported methods included social engineering, malicious links and SIM-box fraud, as well as online casino and investment schemes. INTERPOL’s announcement does not give a comparable country-by-country breakdown of cases or losses, so the figures do not support ranking countries by the prevalence or harm of cybercrime. INTERPOL’s announcement and The Record’s report both describe the operation.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →What kinds of alleged scams did authorities uncover?
Nigeria: online casino and investment schemes
INTERPOL reported 130 arrests in Nigeria, including 113 foreign nationals, in investigations involving alleged online casino and investment fraud. According to INTERPOL’s account of Nigerian authorities’ findings, proceeds were converted to digital assets to conceal activity, while recruits from different countries operated schemes in multiple languages. The investigation also involved seizures of 26 vehicles, 16 houses, 39 plots of land and 685 devices.
#1 Best Overall
Nigerian authorities said some people working in scam centres may themselves have been trafficking victims forced or coerced into crime. That qualification is a reported possibility about some people, not a finding about every person arrested.
South Africa: SIM-box fraud and SMS phishing
INTERPOL reported 40 arrests in a South African case involving an alleged SIM-box fraud scheme. Authorities seized more than 1,000 SIM cards and 53 desktops and towers. A SIM box can reroute international calls as local calls; INTERPOL says this infrastructure is also commonly used in large-scale SMS phishing.
Zambia: malicious links and phone compromise
In Zambia, INTERPOL reported that officers apprehended 14 suspected members of a syndicate accused of sending malicious links. According to the announcement, clicking a link installed malware that could give the operators access to messaging accounts and phones, including banking apps. Compromised accounts were then used to spread more links.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteRwanda: impersonation and social engineering
INTERPOL reported 45 arrests in Rwanda over social-engineering cases. Examples included people impersonating telecom employees and offering fake jackpot winnings, or posing as injured relatives asking for hospital-bill money. The authority linked the cases to more than USD 305,000 in victim losses during 2024, and reported USD 103,043 recovered and 292 devices seized.
Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo
Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo were named as participating countries, but INTERPOL’s announcement did not provide comparable country-specific case details for them. The lack of detail does not establish that no arrests or cases occurred there.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is not yet established?
The reports do not establish the identities of suspects or later charging and conviction outcomes. They also do not provide a consistent country-by-country denominator or comparable loss totals across all seven countries. INTERPOL Director of the Cybercrime Directorate Neal Jetton described the operation as evidence of the value of international cooperation; that is INTERPOL’s assessment, not a measured finding that the arrests will deter future cybercrime.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Recommended Free Tools
