A global law enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of more than 5,500 financial crime suspects and the seizure of more than $400 million in virtual assets and government-backed currencies.
Governments from 40 countries, territories and regions took part in the coordinated exercises as part of the latest wave Operation HAECHI-Vwhich took place between July and November 2024, Interpol reported.
“The consequences of cybercrime can be devastating: people lose their savings, businesses are destroyed, and trust in digital and financial systems is undermined,” said INTERPOL Secretary-General Valdesi Urquiza. said in the statement.
“The borderless nature of cybercrime means that international police cooperation is essential and the success of this Interpol-backed operation shows what results can be achieved when countries work together. Only by joining forces can we make the real and digital worlds safer.”
As part of HAECHI-V, Interpol said authorities in Korea and Beijing jointly dismantled a widespread voice phishing syndicate responsible for financial losses totaling $1.1 billion and affecting more than 1,900 victims.
The fraud operation involved a group of cybercriminals impersonating law enforcement officers and using fake identification documents. At least 27 members of the organized crime group behind the scheme were arrested and 19 individuals were subsequently charged.
Interpol also issued a purple notificationwarning of a new cryptocurrency fraud practice called the USDT Token Approval Scam, which allows attackers to empty victims’ wallets by using romance-themed lures to get them to buy and invest in the popular Tether stablecoin (USDT tokens).
“After the fraudsters have gained their trust, victims receive a phishing link that allows them to create their investment account,” the agency reported. “In reality, by clicking, they give full access to the fraudsters, who can then transfer funds from their wallet without the victim’s knowledge.”
The news of HAECHI-V comes almost a year after Interpol reported it arrested nearly 3,500 people and seized $300 million in 34 countries after a six-month operation.
It also follows from 1006 suspects were arrested in 19 African countries and destroying 134,089 malicious infrastructures and networks to combat cybercrime on the continent.
