🚨 1 462 arrests, 10 909 malicious networks taken down, and more than 105 million $ recovered. Interpol has just released the report on one of the largest anti-cybercrime operations ever carried out in Africa.
📌 The facts (Operation Serengeti III, report published on Oct. 22, 2026)
• 21 countries, from June 29 to August 31, 2026
• 65,929 victims identified, with more than 385 M$ in related losses
• Uganda: 365 foreign nationals arrested, fake trading sites targeting retirees in Asia
• Angola: 2 illegal crypto mining centers shut down, more than 2,000 machines seized (electricity stolen via 6 rogue transformers)
• Nigeria: an investment scam via messaging apps, more than 2.4 M$ moved, largely laundered in crypto
🧠 How do these scams work?
An “advisor” contacts you on WhatsApp or Telegram, shows you a fake site where your balance keeps rising, then asks you for “fees” to withdraw. The money goes to a wallet, and crypto is then used to move it quickly between multiple addresses.
👤 Imagine Grâce (fictional character), a shopkeeper in Pointe-Noire. She is promised 30% per month on $USDT. Her screen shows profits... which she will never be able to withdraw. The blockchain is not the scam: the fake middleman is.
⚖️ Nuances
• Arresting suspects does not mean victims will be reimbursed
• Transactions are public: this is also what helps investigators trace the funds
• Several investigations are still open; the figures may change
🛡️ Simple rule: no guaranteed returns, never any “fee to unlock” your profits, and never share your recovery phrase.
💬 Have you ever received this kind of message? 🟢 Yes / 🔴 Never 👇
Not financial advice. DYOR.
Sources: Interpol (Oct. 22, 2026), Decrypt, Group-IB.
#CryptoNews #Afrique #Arnaque
📌 The facts (Operation Serengeti III, report published on Oct. 22, 2026)
• 21 countries, from June 29 to August 31, 2026
• 65,929 victims identified, with more than 385 M$ in related losses
• Uganda: 365 foreign nationals arrested, fake trading sites targeting retirees in Asia
• Angola: 2 illegal crypto mining centers shut down, more than 2,000 machines seized (electricity stolen via 6 rogue transformers)
• Nigeria: an investment scam via messaging apps, more than 2.4 M$ moved, largely laundered in crypto
🧠 How do these scams work?
An “advisor” contacts you on WhatsApp or Telegram, shows you a fake site where your balance keeps rising, then asks you for “fees” to withdraw. The money goes to a wallet, and crypto is then used to move it quickly between multiple addresses.
👤 Imagine Grâce (fictional character), a shopkeeper in Pointe-Noire. She is promised 30% per month on $USDT. Her screen shows profits... which she will never be able to withdraw. The blockchain is not the scam: the fake middleman is.
⚖️ Nuances
• Arresting suspects does not mean victims will be reimbursed
• Transactions are public: this is also what helps investigators trace the funds
• Several investigations are still open; the figures may change
🛡️ Simple rule: no guaranteed returns, never any “fee to unlock” your profits, and never share your recovery phrase.
💬 Have you ever received this kind of message? 🟢 Yes / 🔴 Never 👇
Not financial advice. DYOR.
Sources: Interpol (Oct. 22, 2026), Decrypt, Group-IB.
#CryptoNews #Afrique #Arnaque