Interpol Operation ‘First Light’ Yields $257 Million in Online Scam Crackdown

A coordinated global police operation codenamed ‘First Light' has dealt a significant financial blow to online scam networks, resulting in the seizure of $257 million and the arrest of nearly 4,000 suspects.

Operation First Light 2024, coordinated by INTERPOL and spanning 61 countries, targeted a wide array of scams, including phishing, investment fraud, fake online shopping sites, romance scams, and impersonation fraud. The operation, which began in 2023 and culminated in its final phase from March to May 2024, succeeded in freezing 6,745 bank accounts and identifying over 14,000 potential suspects worldwide.

First Light 2024 highlights

The operation intercepted $135 million in fiat currency and $2 million in cryptocurrency. Additional assets worth over $120 million were seized, including real estate, luxury vehicles, high-end jewelry, and other valuable items. This extensive operation highlights the vast reach and financial impact of scam syndicates operating across continents.

Dr. Isaac Kehinde Oginni, Director of INTERPOL's Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), emphasized the broader implications of the operation's success, stating, “The results of this global police operation are more than just numbers—they represent lives protected, crimes prevented, and a healthier global economy worldwide.”

• Hong Kong, China: Multiple suspects were apprehended, contributing significantly to the crackdown on phishing and investment fraud schemes.
• Brazil: The Federal Police seized a variety of luxury items, including high-end jewelry and electronics, and arrested numerous suspects involved in various scams.
• Namibia: A significant bust in the capital resulted in the rescue of 88 local youths forced into conducting scams and the seizure of 163 computers and 350 mobile phones.

One of the key successes involved the interception of $331,000 in a business email compromise fraud targeting a Spanish victim who transferred money to Hong Kong. In another case, Australian authorities recovered AUD 5.5 million (USD 3.7 million) for a victim of an impersonation scam, with the fraudulent funds being traced to bank accounts in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Operation First Light 2024 was bolstered by the participation of regional policing bodies, including AFRIPOL, ASEANAPOL, GCCPOL, and Europol, emphasizing the need for robust international cooperation to combat the global threat posed by organized scam networks.

Yong Wang, Head of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Beijing, highlighted the global nature of these crimes, stating, “The world is grappling with the severe challenges of social engineering fraud, and organized crime groups are operating from Southeast Asia to the Middle East and Africa, with victims on every continent.”