Operation Serengeti III: How Collaboration Is Curbing Scams in Africa

 INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti III led to 1,462 arrests and recovered more than USD 105 million across 21 countries. GASA was proud to support it. 

Between 29 June and 31 August 2026, law enforcement agencies from 21 countries took part in Operation Serengeti III. It was one of Africa’s largest operations against cybercrime, coordinated by INTERPOL.

The results are significant:

• 1,462 suspects arrested
• 10,909 malicious networks disrupted
• More than USD 105 million in illicit funds recovered
• 65,929 victims identified
• More than USD 385 million in losses linked to the criminal activity

The operation targeted cyber-enabled fraud, online scams, business email compromise, ransomware and digital extortion. The Global Anti-Scam Alliance is proud to have been one of the partners supporting it.

Scams and faruds do not stop at borders 

The networks behind scams and fraud are organised and fast. A scam can start in one jurisdiction and reach victims on another continent within hours. Serengeti III showed this clearly: some of the schemes it disrupted targeted victims far outside Africa.

INTERPOL’s African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2026 also warns that artificial intelligence is making cybercrime easier to scale, and that losses continue to rise.

No single country, company or regulator can respond to this alone.

What made the difference

Three things stand out.

Intelligence came first. Before the operation began, investigators received actionable intelligence on suspicious domains, IP addresses and command-and-control infrastructure. This let them act on targets rather than search for them.

Industry was part of the response. Private-sector partners provided intelligence, technical analysis and operational expertise. They helped map criminal networks and identify targets. The partners included Group-IB, Kaspersky, Fortinet, Team Cymru, Uppsala Security, Atlas Group, Meta, GASA and Zimbabwe’s Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

Recovery is possible. More than USD 105 million was recovered. For victims, recovery is what turns enforcement into real protection.

“Behind these results are 65,929 people who were targeted. They are the reason collaboration matters. The Global Anti-Scam Alliance, and our Africa Chapter in particular, is committed to deepening partnerships with law enforcement, regulators and industry so that people across Africa are better protected from scams and fraud.”

 

Patricia Eromosele

Director - Africa at the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA)

What this means for GASA in Africa

GASA exists to bring governments, law enforcement, industry and consumer organisations together against scams and fraud. Serengeti III is the model we believe in: trusted partners sharing intelligence in real time, with a clear goal.

Congratulations to INTERPOL, the participating agencies and our fellow partners. Several investigations are still active, and we look forward to the next results.

About the Global Anti-Scam Alliance

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is a nonprofit organization bringing together policymakers, law enforcement, consumer authorities, NGOs, the financial sector, telecommunications operators, internet platforms, cybersecurity organizations and other stakeholders to share knowledge and develop solutions to protect consumers from scams.