The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has formally designated cryptocurrency-enabled fraud as a global criminal threat following a resolution adopted at its General Assembly in Marrakech. The measure targets transnational scam centers linked to large-scale fraud, human trafficking and abuse across more than 60 countries.
What Happened: Resolution Targets Scam Centers
Interpol member countries approved the resolution this week to address criminal hubs that lure victims with promises of high-paying overseas jobs.
According to the organization, these operations coerce trafficked individuals into compounds where they execute schemes including voice phishing, romance scams, investment fraud and cryptocurrency fraud targeting people worldwide.
The criminal networks use advanced technologies to deceive victims and conceal operations.
While not everyone working in these centers faces trafficking, those held against their will frequently endure physical violence, torture, sexual exploitation and rape, Interpol reported.
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Why It Matters: Coordinated Global Response
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said effective action against these networks requires strengthened collaboration and improved information sharing. The organization outlined several enforcement measures including real-time intelligence sharing to identify perpetrators and locations, multinational joint operations, targeted action against criminal financing and illicit assets, and standardized emergency protocols to rescue victims.
The resolution calls for global awareness campaigns directed at vulnerable groups, particularly youth and job seekers. A June crime trend update revealed victims from more than 60 countries have been trafficked into scam centers operating beyond Southeast Asia, with criminal activities increasingly overlapping with drug, firearms and wildlife trafficking.
In 2024, Interpol led its largest-ever global operation against trafficking-driven fraud across 116 countries and territories, resulting in more than 2,500 arrests. The organization first highlighted the rise of scam centers in 2022 with a Purple Notice warning about social media recruitment tactics, followed by a 2023 Orange Notice identifying trafficking-fueled fraud as a serious threat to public safety.
The resolution comes as Interpol pursues several high-profile individuals tied to alleged crypto-related crimes.
In 2022, the organization issued a Red Notice for Terraform Labs co-founder and CEO Do Kwon following the collapse of the Terra ecosystem.
In July 2024, Hong Kong native and cryptocurrency promoter Wong Ching-kit was added to Interpol's alert system for suspected involvement in multiple criminal cases, including a cryptocurrency scam exceeding $384,310. In Dec. 2024, Richard Schueler, known as Richard Heart, founder of the Hex cryptocurrency, was listed under a Red Notice at the request of Finnish authorities over allegations of tax fraud and assault.
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