Interpol Arrests Thousands in Crackdown on International Online Scams

Police around the world have arrested 3,950 people and seized assets totaling $257 million in a coordinated effort to crack down on online scams, according to a news release Thursday from Interpol. Dubbed Operation First Light 2024, the scammers engaged in a variety of online crimes, including phishing, investment fraud, taking in money from fake shopping sites, and romance scams, the international law enforcement agency says.

Suggested ReadingJustice Department to Criminally Charge Boeing for Breaching 737 Max Settlement: ReportsApple Rumored to Be Working on AirPods With Built-in CamerasOur Best Look Yet at Deadpool & Wolverine's Supervillain, and a Familiar FriendHow Conspiracy Theories and Disinformation Spiral Out of Control on the Internet | TechModo CCShare SubtitlesOffEnglishJustice Department to Criminally Charge Boeing for Breaching 737 Max Settlement: ReportsApple Rumored to Be Working on AirPods With Built-in CamerasOur Best Look Yet at Deadpool & Wolverine's Supervillain, and a Familiar FriendHow Conspiracy Theories and Disinformation Spiral Out of Control on the Internet | TechModo CCShare SubtitlesOffEnglishRelated ContentRelated ContentDr. Isaac Kehinde Oginni, the director of Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Center (IFCACC), celebrated the effort in a news release.Advertisement“The results of this global police operation are more than just numbers—they represent lives protected, crimes prevented, and a healthier global economy worldwide,” Oginni said. “By confiscating such large amounts of money, and disrupting the networks behind them, we not only safeguard our communities but also deal a significant blow to the transnational organized crime groups that pose such a serious threat to global security.”AdvertisementNews of the arrests, first reported by The Record, comes as authorities in the U.S. warn about a huge uptick in online scams, with over $10 billion lost by consumers last year alone. And fraud isn’t just achieved through electronic payments like crypto.The FTC recently reported that Americans lost $76 million in cash to people impersonating government agents last year. Back in February, New York magazine’s financial advice columnist wrote about her own experience losing cash to scammers in a piece titled, “The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger.”AdvertisementOnline scammers work hard to separate you from your money, but if you’re ever contacted by someone claiming to be with the CIA and they tell you to put all your money in a shoebox please think twice about what you’re doing.

Based on reporting by gizmodo.com.