Cross-border fraud crimes:

Interpol forces coordinated to destroy an internet fraud network in Africa. *Photo: Interpol*

In the context of rapid digitalization, transnational fraud activities are emerging as one of the most serious threats to the economic and social security of many countries. No longer limited to conventional online fraud tricks, cybercrime today has expanded its scale. At the same time, it has sophisticated methods, closely linked together in the "criminal syndicate" model and taken advantage of legal gaps between countries to operate.

At the 93rd Interpol General Assembly, delegates from more than 190 member countries shared alarming figures on the damage caused by fraud, estimated to be in the trillions of dollars each year.

Reports indicate that many criminal organizations are taking advantage of the development of digital technology and global connectivity to carry out sophisticated frauds, from impersonating authorities, financial investment fraud to phishing attacks via social networks and text messages. Their cross-border nature makes it difficult for countries to deal with them unilaterally.

Interpol has warned in particular about the threat posed by transnational fraud centers. These are organized crime rings that specialize in conducting online fraud to appropriate assets using high technology or manipulate virtual currency. Notably, many victims are also tricked into moving to other countries under the guise of “high-paying jobs”, and then forced to directly participate in fraudulent activities.

According to Interpol, these centers are expanding to many regions of the world , from Southeast Asia to Africa, Central America and the Middle East. Victims of fraud activities have been recorded in 66 countries, reflecting the global scale and complexity of this type of crime.

In its most recent comprehensive operation, Interpol, working with authorities in 18 African countries, arrested 1,209 cybercriminals targeting nearly 88,000 victims. The operation resulted in the recovery of $97.4 million and the destruction of 11,432 malicious infrastructures. This figure highlights the urgent need for cross-border cooperation to disrupt the rapidly expanding fraud network.

The complexity of high-tech crime poses enormous challenges for law enforcement agencies. Legal differences between countries, restrictions on extradition and cross-border investigation coordination make it difficult to arrest and handle criminals. Meanwhile, criminals are constantly innovating their tricks, taking advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) and caller face spoofing technology to carry out sophisticated, large-scale scams. Without strong measures, cybercrime will continue to break out, becoming a "crime pandemic" that threatens every country.

At this forum, Interpol announced a series of initiatives to realize strategic goals. Among them, increasing the sharing of global databases on fraudulent websites and cybercriminal identities was identified as a top priority. In addition, coordinated regional and global crime suppression campaigns need to be stepped up, targeting "hotspots" and organized crime networks in parallel with tracking, freezing illegal assets, and cutting off profits from fraud networks.

In addition, countries should also focus on establishing emergency procedures to search, rescue and repatriate victims; coordinate global awareness campaigns...

In the context of increasingly sophisticated technology-based crimes, Interpol also recommends that countries invest more heavily in data analysis capabilities, inter-agency coordination and specialized training for law enforcement forces.

Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza emphasized: "No country can stand outside this war. Through Interpol, countries can build a strong fortress. There, all police from member countries can access information and support each other quickly and most effectively."

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/toi-pham-lua-dao-xuyen-bien-gioi-moi-nguy-cua-toan-cau-trong-thoi-dai-so-725187.html