Interpol conducts global operation against social engineering fraud

Interpol coordinated a global operation named 'First Light 2026' between January and April, targeting social engineering fraud. The operation involved law enforcement agencies from 97 countries. During this period, approximately 5,800 individuals were arrested, and nearly 300 million dollars in illicit assets were seized. A total of 142,000 victims were identified across various scams, including business email compromise, sextortion, romance scams, identity theft, and investment fraud. In Eswatini, authorities dismantled a criminal network involved in illegal online gambling and money laundering, leading to 82 arrests. In another notable case, fraudsters in Brazil created a fake police station setting to impersonate federal officers during video calls to extort victims. Interpol highlighted that these crimes pose a major international threat to individuals, businesses, and governments.