Dozens arrested in major crackdown on suspected online scammers and romance fraudsters
The alleged fraudsters worked under anonymous online identities and collaborated with one another to support scams
More than 30 suspected fraudsters have been arrested as part of a major international policing operation.
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City of London Police worked with UK-based agencies and the Nigeria Police Force to identify and crack down on people allegedly using online platforms to commit fraud.
They arrested 31 individuals, both in the UK and Nigeria, who had been using private messaging groups to share tools, techniques and services linked to criminal activity, including methods to deceive victims and move illicit funds.
The alleged fraudsters worked under anonymous online identities and collaborated with one another to support scams such as impersonation fraud, account takeover and money laundering.
They were also providing access to compromised data, spoofing tools or "fraud-as-a-service" offerings.
Detective Inspector Joel Gregory, from the Intelligence Development Team at the City of London Police, said: "This operation highlights what can be achieved when law enforcement, industry and international partners come together with a shared purpose.
"The scale and complexity of online fraud means no single organisation can tackle it alone, but through this joint effort we’ve been able to identify offenders, build intelligence and take coordinated action.
"This has been a significant team effort across multiple agencies, and it sends a clear message to those involved in fraud that we are actively monitoring these spaces and will take action to disrupt and pursue them."
Alongside disrupting these criminal networks, officers ran a prevention campaign making use of artificial intelligence to create videos that were shared online.
These videos were designed to deliver a clear message that involvement in criminal activity has far-reaching consequences and that police forces and agencies are aware of those involved.
Craig Rice, CEO of the Cyber Defence Alliance, said: "Operation Seraphim represents a significant evolution in collaborative intelligence-led law enforcement support.
"For the first time, investigators from the Cyber Defence Alliance and detectives from the City of London Police worked side-by-side in a fully integrated operational environment to identify, analyse and target high-harm individuals responsible for exploiting victims across the UK and Europe.
"Engaging with additional law enforcement partners, the reach of this operation extended across the UK and to high-threat criminals targeting the UK operating from West Africa.
"This demonstrates both the capability and determination of this public–private operational partnership. It also establishes a new benchmark for ambition, integration and impact in joint operations between law enforcement and industry in tackling serious organised cyber-enabled fraud and financial crime."