A global law enforcement operation, in partnership with INTERPOL, has led to the arrest of more than 5,500 suspects involved in financial crimes and the seizure of more than $400 million in government-backed virtual assets and currencies
See also: Interpol: Dismantling cybercrime infrastructure – 41 people arrested
The coordinated exercise involved authorities from 40 countries, territories and regions as part of the latest wave of Operation HAECHI-V, which took place between July and November 2024, INTERPOL said.
As part of Operation HAECHI-V, INTERPOL said that Korean and Beijing authorities jointly dismantled an extensive voice phishing, responsible for financial losses totaling $1.1 billion and affecting more than 1,900 victims.
The voice phishing, which involved the gang impersonating law enforcement officials and using fake identities, has led to the arrest of at least 27 members of the organized crime group behind the scheme, with 19 people subsequently charged.
See also: Interpol: Arrests in 28 countries for illegal sites – Including Greece
INTERPOL also issued an alert, warning of an emerging cryptocurrency fraud practice called the USDT Code Approval Scam, which allows malicious actors to drain victims’ wallets by leveraging romantic-themed bait to trick them into purchasing popular Tether stablecoins (USDT tokens) and investing.
The news about HAECHI-V comes nearly a year after INTERPOL announced it had arrested nearly 3,500 people and made seizures worth $300 million in 34 countries following a six-month operation.
It also follows the arrest of 1,006 suspects in 19 African countries and the dismantling of 134,089 malicious infrastructures and networks, to tackle cybercrime on the continent.
See also: INTERPOL: Eight people arrested for phishing & romance scams
Global cybercrime is a growing threat to the cybersecurity and personal safety of people around the world. Cybercriminals exploit technology and the internet to commit fraud, data breaches, identity theft and other criminal offences. The impact of cybercrime is growing and is causing huge losses for both individuals and businesses. It is important to implement strong passwords, protect our personal data and avoid openly sharing sensitive information. In addition, using up-to-date security software and browsing the internet carefully can reduce the risk of exposure to cyberattacks.
Source: thehackernews
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