A three-month operation across 30 countries led to more than 960 arrests and stopped over 123 million online fraud attempts.
A global operation led by the UAE has uncovered more than $39 billion in illicit funds and digital assets linked to online fraud, and led to the arrest of more than 960 people worldwide.
Known as Operation Confrontation Ghost, the crackdown was overseen by the UAE’s Ministry of Interior and ran for three months, from July 1 to September 30, 2026. It brought together law enforcement agencies from 30 countries, along with Interpol, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and 13 private-sector partners.
The operation focused on three growing threats: fraud carried out using artificial intelligence, financial fraud through digital platforms, and online sextortion, where victims are blackmailed with threats to release private images or information.
The results were announced in Vienna, Austria, at a UAE-organized event held on the sidelines of the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, taking place from October 19 to 23.
Operation Confrontation Ghost in Numbers
Over the three months, the operation thwarted more than 123.71 million online fraud attempts worldwide.
Authorities identified more than 3,500 suspects and arrested over 960 of them. They also identified around 15,500 victims of fraud and other digital crimes.
As part of the crackdown, 4,126 bank accounts were blocked, more than 570 social media accounts linked to fraud were shut down, and 29 fraud centers were raided. Participating agencies exchanged more than 9,000 pieces of intelligence during the operation.
The Ministry of Interior also said tokenization technology, which replaces sensitive payment details with secure digital codes, is helping to protect more than four billion financial transactions every month.
The 30 participating countries included the UK, Canada, Japan, China, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Singapore, the Philippines, Brazil, Kenya and South Korea, along with several Gulf countries, including Kuwait and Bahrain.
Private-sector partners came from technology, social media, payments and cybersecurity, including Meta, TikTok, Mastercard, Huawei, Crypto.com, Trend Micro and Group-IB, as well as UAE-based property and classifieds platforms Bayut and dubizzle.
UAE and UN Officials on the Fight Against Digital Fraud
Colonel Dana Al Marzouqi, Director-General of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, said the operation showed the value of international partnerships in tackling fraud networks that exploit online platforms, financial services and new technologies.
She said real-time intelligence sharing between countries and companies had helped detect suspicious activity and trace illicit financial flows, and that the ministry would continue working with international partners to protect the public and organizations from digital fraud, The National reported.
Dr. Monica Kathina Juma, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, described the operation as “a model of international cooperation in addressing emerging forms of crime.”
She said the growing use of AI and digital tools by fraudsters, along with the misuse of online platforms, bank accounts and cryptocurrencies, required stronger countermeasures and closer global collaboration.
UAE residents who believe they have been targeted by online fraud can report it through official police channels, such as the Dubai Police eCrime platform or by contacting their local police.
