An operation coordinated by Interpol with 20 African countries and the United States ended with 1,462 arrests and more than $105 million recovered. The scams it hit are the same ones that reach people everywhere by message and by ad: fake investments, phishing and loan apps that are traps.
The Serengeti III numbers
Interpol announced the results on October 22, 2026, according to The Record. The arrests took place over the summer. More than 10,000 malicious networks were taken down, nearly 66,000 victims were identified, and combined losses exceed $385 million. The crimes were online fraud, ransomware and business email compromise, where the criminal poses as a supplier or boss to divert payments.
The scams behind the arrests
The cases show how scammers work. In Uganda, 365 foreign nationals were arrested and two transnational fraud rings were dismantled. Call centers used scripts, fake trading platforms and fraudulent websites to persuade pensioners in Asia to invest in schemes that did not exist. A Ugandan official said most of those arrested were from South and East Asia and were housed in an apartment complex that appeared to restrict their movement.
In Nigeria, one suspect was arrested for a phishing and business email compromise operation that amassed about 2.1 million email addresses. In another case, an investment scam promoted through messaging apps had over $2.4 million in suspected proceeds traced, much of it laundered through cryptocurrency. Tanzania took down a malicious mobile loan app scheme, and Gabon disrupted a vehicle import fraud network that operated on social media.
Why it matters elsewhere
The report is about Africa. But the script is universal: easy-profit promises, a platform that looks professional, contact through a messaging app, and urgency. People who put money into a fake scheme only find out when they try to withdraw it. And the operation is still open: several investigations continue.
How to protect yourself
- Be wary of guaranteed profit. A serious investment does not promise a fixed return or ask you to bring friends.
- Check the company before you deposit. Look it up with your country’s financial regulator.
- Do not install a loan app that reached you by message or ad. Use official stores only and read the permissions it asks for.
- Be suspicious of emailed payment requests that change bank details. Confirm through another channel, such as a phone number you already had.
- Do not let urgency decide. If a message says to act now, stop, talk to someone and verify.
