In a sweeping international operation named “Red Card,” Interpol has arrested over 300 individuals and uncovered more than 5,000 victims tied to cyber-enabled scams across Africa. From November 2024 to February 2025, authorities across seven countries worked together to dismantle criminal syndicates that leveraged online gambling platforms, mobile banking apps, and messaging services to execute sophisticated fraud schemes.
Global Collaboration, Local Impact
The operation’s success stems from deep collaboration between Interpol’s cybercrime division and law enforcement agencies in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia. Sharing intelligence on criminal targets and leveraging private sector data from firms like Kaspersky, Group-IB, and Trend Micro, investigators struck at the heart of several sprawling networks.
Neal Jetton, Director of Interpol’s Cybercrime Directorate, stated, “The success of Operation Red Card demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating cybercrime, which knows no borders and can have devastating effects on individuals and communities.”
Online Gambling as a Front for Fraud
One of the operation’s most alarming findings was how online casino and investment platforms were used as tools for scamming thousands of victims. In Nigeria alone, 130 suspects were arrested—113 of whom were foreign nationals. Authorities discovered that these individuals had been recruited to operate multilingual fraud centers that lured victims into gambling-related scams and bogus investment schemes. The illicit proceeds were then converted into digital assets to obscure their trail.
Some suspects were not willing participants. Nigerian authorities found that several individuals involved in running scam centers were victims of human trafficking, coerced into criminal activity. This grim reality mirrors trends seen in Southeast Asia, where scam compounds disguised as iGaming startups often entrap workers through false job advertisements.
Widespread and Evolving Threats
Operation Red Card exposed the versatility and reach of cybercrime organizations. In South Africa, 40 individuals were arrested in a crackdown on SIM box fraud, which rerouted international calls to local networks to execute phishing scams. Over 1,000 SIM cards and 53 computer systems were seized.
In Zambia, law enforcement dismantled a malware-based phone hijacking ring. Criminals tricked victims into clicking on malicious links that granted them access to the entire phone, including banking and messaging apps. The malware even enabled hackers to send further scam messages from compromised accounts, creating a viral fraud network.
Rwanda’s police force took down a group of 45 fraudsters who used social engineering tactics to scam over $305,000. By posing as telecom employees or injured relatives, the criminals extracted sensitive data, took over bank accounts, and tricked family members into sending money. Authorities managed to recover over $103,000 and seized nearly 300 devices.
A Warning to Cybercriminals Everywhere
Interpol’s efforts resulted in the seizure of over 1,800 digital devices, 26 vehicles, 16 houses, and 39 land parcels. These raids signal a renewed commitment to global enforcement and a message that digital fraud—even when cloaked under the veil of online gambling—won’t go unpunished.
Operation Red Card is just the beginning. As enforcement heat intensifies in regions like Southeast Asia and Africa, cybercriminals are becoming more creative, adapting their strategies to include everything from online casinos to mobile microloan apps. For international authorities, it means the fight must also evolve.
The iGaming industry and mobile finance platforms now stand at the frontlines of a growing battle against cross-border digital crime. Their infrastructure can no longer be considered neutral—especially when these tools are being weaponized to harm communities worldwide.
