Kaspersky has played a crucial role in INTERPOL’s Operation Red Card, a multi-nation cybercrime crackdown across Africa, resulting in 306 arrests and the seizure of 1,842 devices. Conducted from November 2024 to February 2025, the operation targeted mobile banking fraud, investment scams, and messaging app-based cybercrimes, with seven countries actively participating: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia.
Cybercrime Networks Dismantled Across Africa
Operation Red Card uncovered widespread cyber-enabled fraud operations, many of which involved cross-border syndicates. The crackdown led to the identification of over 5,000 victims, demonstrating the widespread impact of digital financial scams.
In Nigeria, authorities arrested 130 individuals, including 113 foreign nationals, for their involvement in online casino and investment fraud schemes. These criminals operated in multiple languages, utilizing cryptocurrency transactions to obscure financial trails.
In Zambia, investigators disrupted a criminal network that hijacked mobile banking accounts through malware-laden messages. Victims unknowingly installed malicious software, granting hackers full access to their devices, allowing them to control banking applications and spread phishing links through compromised messaging apps.
Rwanda saw 45 arrests, linked to social engineering scams that defrauded victims of over $305,000 in 2024 alone. These cybercriminals posed as telecom operators, tricking users into revealing sensitive banking information by claiming they had won fake jackpots or needed to pay for urgent medical bills for family members.
In South Africa, authorities uncovered a large-scale SIM box fraud operation, arresting 40 individuals and seizing over 1,000 SIM cards. The scam rerouted international calls to local networks, a method often used in large-scale SMS phishing attacks and financial fraud schemes.
Kaspersky’s Role in the Crackdown
Kaspersky provided critical threat intelligence to INTERPOL, analyzing malware samples from malicious Android applications used to target African users. The company also supplied insights into infrastructure linked to the fraud networks, allowing authorities to track and disrupt their operations.
According to Neal Jetton, Director of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, Operation Red Card is a powerful example of global law enforcement cooperation. The seizure of fraudulent assets and devices sends a clear message that cybercriminals operating across borders will face legal consequences.
Kaspersky’s Vice President of Global Public Affairs, Yuliya Shlychkova, reinforced the need for public-private partnerships in cybersecurity, stating that collaborative intelligence-sharing between private sector firms and law enforcement agencies is essential in combating cyber threats.
Strengthening Africa’s Cyber Resilience
Kaspersky has previously supported INTERPOL’s Africa Cyber Surge operations, assisting law enforcement agencies with cybercrime intelligence and threat detection. The company is also an official partner of AFRIPOL, a key organization working to enhance Africa’s digital security framework.
By leveraging AI-driven cybersecurity analytics and regional threat data, Kaspersky continues to play a pivotal role in dismantling cybercriminal networks and preventing large-scale digital fraud across Africa’s rapidly expanding financial sector.
Also read: CSCRF Mandates SOC, Data Localization for Financial Firms
What This Means for Businesses and Cybersecurity Strategy
The success of Operation Red Card highlights the growing need for organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity posture. As cybercriminals target financial institutions, mobile banking users, and digital platforms, businesses must:
Adopt proactive threat intelligence to detect fraudulent activities before they escalate.
Implement robust security measures to prevent phishing, malware infiltration, and SIM-based fraud.
Collaborate with cybersecurity firms and law enforcement agencies to stay ahead of emerging cybercrime tactics.
As financial fraud and cyber-enabled scams continue to evolve, public-private partnerships like Operation Red Card will remain crucial in ensuring digital security, preventing financial losses, and safeguarding consumer trust.
