Interpol reports more than 60 countries affected by human trafficking-related crypto scams

Interpol’s updated crime data shows that increasingly sophisticated crypto scam networks are overlapping with global drug, firearms and wildlife trafficking markets.

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has formally designated crypto fraud as a global criminal threat, following the adoption of a new resolution by the General Assembly, which aims to tackle the rapid expansion of transnational scam centers involved in large-scale fraud, human trafficking and serious abuse.

According to the organization, these criminal hubs often lure victims with promises of high-paying jobs abroad before forcing them into complexes where they are forced to carry out schemes ranging from voice phishing and romance scams to investment fraud and cryptocurrency fraud targeting individuals around the world.

While not everyone who works in these centers is trafficked, Interpol noted that those held against their will often face brutal conditions, including physical violence, torture, sexual exploitation and rape.

Global crisis

The resolution comes amid the increasing use of advanced technologies by criminal networks to deceive victims and conceal their activities. As part of a coordinated plan for joint action, Interpol has outlined several measures to strengthen international law enforcement efforts, including real-time intelligence sharing to identify perpetrators and locate locations, multinational joint operations supported by Interpol, targeted action against criminal financing and illicit assets linked to fraud networks, and standardized emergency protocols to rescue and repatriate victims in addition to comprehensive support services.

Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said,

“To effectively counter these criminal networks, we must strengthen cooperation, improve information sharing and move forward with coordinated, decisive action. INTERPOL is committed to supporting the implementation of the resolution and working with Member States to disaggregate these operations and protect those most at risk.”

The resolution also calls for global awareness campaigns targeting vulnerable groups, especially young people and job seekers. Interpol said the threat has increased sharply, pointing to its June crime trend update showing victims from more than 60 countries have been trafficked to scam centers operating far beyond Southeast Asia. It has been established that criminal activities increasingly overlap with the trafficking of drugs, firearms and wildlife.

In 2024, Interpol led its largest ever global operation against human trafficking-related fraud in 116 countries and territories, resulting in more than 2,500 arrests, in addition to additional regional operations in Africa and Europe. The organization first drew attention to the rise of scam centers in 2022 with a Purple Notice warning of social media recruitment tactics, followed by a 2023 Orange Notice identifying human trafficking-fueled fraud as a serious and imminent threat to public safety.

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Interpol targets big names in crypto crime

The resolution comes as Interpol continues to pursue several high-profile individuals linked to alleged crypto-related crimes around the world. For example, 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 due to his suspected involvement in multiple criminal cases, including a cryptocurrency scam worth more than $384,310.

And in December 2024, Richard Schueler, better 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.