Kaspersky has recently contributed its threat intelligence data to an INTERPOL-led law enforcement action that aimed to disrupt cross-border criminal networks across the African region that cause significant harm to individuals and businesses. With seven participating countries in Africa, operation Red Card resulted in the arrest of 306 individuals suspected of links to cybercrimes such as mobile banking, investment and messaging app scams, and seizure of 1,842 devices.
Conducted from
November 2024 to February 2025, operation Red Card was delivered through
INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) and
brought together law enforcers from Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda,
South Africa, Togo and Zambia.
The operation conduct
was preceded by a threat intelligence data exchange, which was enriched by
INTERPOL and its private sector partners, including Kaspersky. Kaspersky has
shared with the law enforcement agency the results of an analysis of samples of
a malicious Android application that targeted users in African countries along
with the data on related infrastructure.
Altogether, the
cybercriminal cases uncovered by the Red Card participants have made prey more
than 5,000 people. Among the operation's highlights were:
- Nigeria: 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.
- 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 on 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.
- Rwanda: 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.
- South
Africa: local 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.
Neal Jetton,
INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, said:
“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. The recovery of
significant assets and devices, as well as the arrest of key suspects, sends a
strong message to cybercriminals that their activities will not go unpunished.”
“Kaspersky is proud to be part
of this collaborative effort led by INTERPOL. The evolving threat landscape in
Africa requires a multi-stakeholder dialogue and joint efforts of public and
private organizations to address the cybersecurity challenges the region faces
today. The Red Card operation is a notable example of such cooperation,
showcasing how the expertise of private companies coupled with extensive
investigative capacities of law enforcers can foster a more cyber-resilient
environment,” comments Yuliya
Shlychkova, Vice President, Global Public Affairs, Kaspersky.
Kaspersky and INTERPOL
have a vast record of joint operations aimed at combating cybercrime in the
African region, with Kaspersky having supported two editions of INTERPOL’s
Africa Cyber Surge operations. Just recently, Kaspersky was also a contributor
to INTERPOL’s joint action with AFRIPOL, which last
year became the company’s official partner in fostering a more cybersafe
climate across Africa. This partnership focuses on sharing Kaspersky’s
extensive data on local cyberthreats and cybercrime trends in the region.
