Cyber Crime News: Global police org.zation Interpol said in a statement that 1,006 suspects had been arrested during a two-month operation in Africa to curb cybercrime.
Interpol identified 35,000 victims whose cases were linked to $19.3 million in financial losses worldwide. He said local police officials and private sector partners, including internet service providers, played a key role in the operation.
Cyber criminals have targeted thousands of people. Some of which were smuggled. Victims suffered millions of dollars in damages.
‘Operation Serengeti’, a joint operation with Afripol, the African Union’s police agency, was carried out in 19 African countries from September 2 to October 31, the agency said in a statement.
The operation targeted criminals involved in ransomware, business email compromise, digital extortion and online scams.
Interpol Secretary-General Valdesi Urquiza said the rise in cybercrime is a matter of concern, from multi-level marketing scams to industrial-scale credit card fraud.
Kenya has arrested nearly two dozen people in an online credit card fraud case involving a loss of US$8.6 million. Authorities in the West African country of Senegal have arrested eight people, including five Chinese nationals, in connection with a US $6 million online Ponzi scheme.
Jalel Chelba, Afripol’s executive director, said in a statement that through the Serengeti, Afripol has increased support for law enforcement in African Union member states.
