International Police (INTERPOL) has once again busted a West African cyber-crime gang, striking a significant blow to criminal operations in Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria.

This comes as international law enforcement partners with INTERPOL to battle the growing worldwide problem of cyber-crime.

INTERPOL announced yesterday that eight people have been arrested as part of an ongoing worldwide operation on cyber-crime.

The arrests were conducted as part of INTERPOL's Operation Contender 2.0, which aims to tackle cyber-enabled crimes, mainly in West Africa, by improving international intelligence sharing.

It said Côte d'Ivoire officials stopped a large-scale phishing fraud through a coordinated operation with Swiss police and INTERPOL.

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.”

The arrest also resulted in the seizure of digital devices, which are currently being forensically analysed. Five more people were found to be carrying out cyber-criminal activities at the same location, broadening the scope of the operation, according to INTERPOL.

“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 latest arrests coincides with a news report by ESET, a global cyber security firm, which has published its Threat Report for the first half of 2024, providing new insights into the cyber threat landscape faced by businesses and individuals worldwide.

The report highlights several significant trends and developments in cyber security. This includes the increasing use of generative AI tools in cyber-crime and the need for vigilance as cyber criminals use more dynamic and sophisticated methods against their targets.

The report reveals a spectrum of sophisticated cyber threats across multiple regions, showcasing the global scale and urgency of today’s cybersecurity challenges.