Interpol arrests 5,811, seizes $293 million in global social engineering fraud bust
A four-month Interpol operation across 97 countries has resulted in 5,811 arrests and the seizure of $293 million in illicit assets, targeting social engineering scams that defrauded over 142,000 victims worldwide.
Operation scope and results
Interpol's Operation First Light 2026, conducted between 15 January and 30 April 2026, involved police forces from 97 countries and territories. The operation targeted social engineering fraud, scams that exploit human trust to obtain money or confidential information, including business email compromise, sextortion, romance fraud, impersonation scams, and investment fraud. After an initial phase of intelligence gathering and exchange, participating countries carried out coordinated raids, bank account freezes, and disruption of illicit financial flows.
The operation analysed 152,808 cases, solved 23,715, and identified 15,606 suspects. Authorities blocked 31,014 bank accounts and issued 99 Interpol Notices and Diffusions. A total of 5,811 individuals were arrested, and $293 million in illicit assets were intercepted. Over 142,000 victims were identified worldwide, underscoring the scale of the threat.
- Arrests
- 5811
- Victims identified
- 142000
- Cases analyzed
- 152808
- Cases solved
- 23715
- Bank accounts blocked
- 31014
- Suspects identified
- 15606
Notable cases
In Eswatini, 82 people were arrested and a criminal network was dismantled. The group ran illegal online gambling and money laundering operations, using sophisticated impersonation scams. Police seized 240 electronic devices, foreign currencies, and a realistic replica of a Brazilian police station complete with fake uniforms. The scammers posed as Brazil's Federal Police via video call, convincing victims they were under investigation and needed to transfer funds for "safekeeping."
In Thailand, a 20-year-old moved over $122.5 million through a cryptocurrency wallet in 10 months, laundering proceeds from romance scams. Two suspects were arrested; investigators found they used cross-chain token swaps to obscure the money trail. Meanwhile, authorities in Singapore and Oman used Interpol's I-GRIP stop-payment mechanism to block a $6.6 million illegal transfer linked to a business email compromise scam that targeted a Singapore-based commodity trading firm. In Macao, fake public officials were arrested just before a victim transferred nearly $372,000 under the pretext of a fraud investigation.
International cooperation
The operation was financed by China's Ministry of Public Security and supported by three regional police bodies: ASEANAPOL, GCCPOL, and Europol. The use of I-GRIP, Interpol's global rapid intervention of payments mechanism, allowed authorities to freeze both traditional bank accounts and virtual asset wallets, cutting off the flow of illicit funds.
Social engineering fraud continues to represent a significant threat to our society. Criminal groups exploit human psychology to manipulate their victims, and no country can be safe unless all states are prepared and committed to fighting this phenomenon together. Interpol is dedicated to supporting member states in developing a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to combat technology-enabled financial crimes, organized criminal networks, and the money laundering that fuels them.
Ongoing threat
The 142,000 victims identified highlight how social engineering scams have evolved into a major transnational threat affecting individuals, businesses, and governments. Interpol emphasised that the global nature of these crimes requires sustained, coordinated action across borders.
