The criminal operations in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria have suffered a major hit after International Police (INTERPOL) successfully busted a cybercrime group in West Africa once more.
This occurs as international law enforcement joins together with INTERPOL to combat the cybercrime epidemic that is spreading across the globe.
Eight persons have been taken into custody as part of an ongoing global cybercrime operation, according to a statement released by INTERPOL yesterday.
The arrests were made as part of INTERPOL’s Operation Contender 2.0, an effort to enhance international intelligence sharing in order to combat cyber-enabled crimes, mostly in West Africa.
It stated that Côte d’Ivoire authorities, working with Swiss police and INTERPOL, orchestrated a concerted campaign to thwart a massive phishing scam.
INTERPOL explained: “The scam, which resulted in reported financial losses of over $1.4 million, involved perpetrators who posed as buyers on small advertising websites.
“The fraudsters used QR codes to direct victims to fraudulent websites that mimicked a legitimate payment platform where victims would unwittingly enter personal information such as their log-in details or card number.
“They also impersonated the platform’s customer service agents over the phone to further deceive victims.
“Swiss authorities received over 260 reports regarding the scam between August 2023 and April 2024, which prompted an investigation that traced the suspects back to Côte d’Ivoire.”
In addition, the organisation said: “With coordination and intelligence from INTERPOL, the Ivorian Cyber Unit led the investigation, locating and arresting the main suspect, who confessed to the offence and to making financial gains of over $1.9 million.”
Digital devices that were taken into custody as a result of the arrest are presently undergoing forensic analysis. INTERPOL reports that five additional individuals were discovered to be conducting cybercrime activities at the same site, expanding the operation’s reach.
“The investigation is still ongoing, with Ivorian investigators working to identify additional victims, recover stolen funds, and trace goods purchased with illicit proceeds,” said INTERPOL.
The most recent arrests are related to a media story by a global cyber security company that released its Threat Report for the first half of 2024, offering fresh perspectives on the global cyber threat environment that both individuals and businesses must contend with.
The study identifies a number of noteworthy advancements and trends in cyber security. This includes the growing usage of generative AI technologies in cybercrime and the requirement for alertness due to the more complex and dynamic tactics used by cybercriminals to target their victims.
The research highlights the worldwide scope and urgency of today’s cybersecurity concerns by exposing a spectrum of sophisticated cyber threats across many areas.
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