An international operation led by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has resulted in almost 30 suspected fraudsters being arrested and 3.7 million online accounts linked to scams being removed.
The operation brought together more than 100 representatives from law enforcement agencies and technology companies in London to target organised fraud networks operating from across the African continent.
The event, hosted by the NCA between 6 and 9 October, involved 15 law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Nigeria Police Force, and Ghana Cyber Security Authority, alongside technology firms including Meta, Microsoft and Google.
The NCA said the operation focused on fraud groups based primarily in Ghana and Nigeria that use social media platforms to carry out investment fraud, impersonation scams and other online offences targeting victims in the UK and overseas.
Intelligence from the UK’s Report Fraud service was shared with Meta to help identify accounts linked to fraudulent activity. Working with law enforcement partners, the companies helped identify suspects, leading to arrests and the removal of online infrastructure used by the groups.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 people during raids in the Sasaabi area of Accra, seizing 303 electronic devices. The operation also identified 117 suspected victims of human trafficking who are expected to be returned to Nigeria.
In Nigeria, police arrested nine suspects in Delta State and seized six laptops, 35 mobile phones and 12 internet routers.
Separate operations carried out by Ghanaian authorities before the London event also led to further arrests, the recovery of 85 phones and 44 laptops, and the identification of additional trafficking victims believed to have been coerced into carrying out online scams.
Meta removed 3.7 million online profiles, pages and groups linked to fraudulent activity. The company also disabled more than 1,100 Facebook and Instagram accounts associated with intelligence provided through Report Fraud, alongside hundreds of additional Facebook accounts, advertising accounts and scam domains.
The NCA said that its private sector partners also identified around $11 million in funds that could potentially be frozen as part of ongoing investigations.
The operation was supported by funding from the Home Office’s Integrated Security Fund and marks the fourth international fraud disruption initiative involving global law enforcement and technology companies. It was the first to be hosted by the NCA.
Nick Sharp, deputy director of fraud at the NCA, said the operation demonstrated the value of international collaboration.
“Fraud is a global problem, and it takes partnership working across international boundaries to tackle it,” he said. “Hosting such a rich and dedicated team of law enforcement and technology companies at NCA headquarters enabled us to utilise the power of partnerships and strike back at a significant set of criminals who inflict misery on thousands of victims of fraud.”
