Africa Crackdown Exposes Call-Center Fraud

Help Net Security · Medium sophistication
Last updated October 22, 2026

INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti III led to 1,462 arrests across 21 countries and disrupted fraud, ransomware, business email compromise and other cybercrime operations. One major case involved rotating call centers that used scripted investment pitches, fake trading platforms and fraudulent websites to persuade pensioners to invest in schemes that did not exist. Authorities also investigated a Nigerian phishing and business email compromise operation that impersonated colleagues or suppliers to redirect payments.

Key findings

  • Operation Serengeti III resulted in 1,462 arrests, the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks, and recovery of more than $105 million in illicit funds.
  • Investigators identified 65,929 fraud victims and linked the disrupted networks to losses exceeding $385 million.
  • Ugandan authorities dismantled two fraud rings that operated rotating call centers, used scripted pitches, and directed pensioners to fake investment platforms and websites.
  • A Nigerian suspect allegedly operated a phishing and business email compromise scheme that impersonated colleagues or suppliers to redirect payments, harvested software credentials, and collected about 2.1 million email addresses.
  • A separate Nigerian investment scam was promoted through messaging apps and allegedly laundered proceeds through cryptocurrency.

Who’s being targeted

  • Commonly targeted roles: Pensioners and retirees, Finance and accounts payable teams, Procurement and vendor-management staff, All employees with software account access, Employees who use messaging apps for investment discussions.
  • Affected industries: Finance and Insurance, Retirement and pension services, Cryptocurrency, Technology and software services.
  • Attack channels: vishing, website, email.
  • Impersonated: Investment or trading representative, A colleague or supplier.

Awareness takeaways

  • Treat unsolicited investment calls and links to unfamiliar trading platforms as high risk; independently verify the firm and opportunity before investing.
  • Verify any request to change supplier banking details or redirect a payment using a known, independently sourced contact method.
  • Do not provide software credentials in response to unexpected messages, especially when the sender cannot be independently verified.
  • Be cautious of investment promotions distributed through messaging apps, particularly where cryptocurrency is involved.

Red flags to watch for

  • An unsolicited investment pitch delivered by a scripted caller.
  • Pressure to invest through a platform or website not independently verified.
  • Promises or claims involving an investment that does not actually exist.
  • A request to redirect a payment from a supposed colleague or supplier.
  • Unexpected or unverified changes to payment details.
  • The request is tied to credential harvesting or a phishing operation.
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Read the video transcript

“Grow your retirement savings.” That’s the opening line. In Operation Serengeti III, rotating call centers used scripted pitches to send pensioners to fake trading websites. The investments didn’t exist. Here’s the tell: the caller gives you the platform. A convincing chart proves nothing when the whole website is fake. Before investing, look up the firm yourself and verify it independently.

MITRE ATT&CK techniques

T1656 - ImpersonationT1598 - Phishing for Information

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