As claimed by the authorities, both of the mentioned situations have given rise to newer opportunities for online criminals to rake in large assets without risking being caught.
This growth has a direct impact on the rest of the world, where many victims of “hugely lucrative” fraud live, a senior police official says.
According to Prof. Landry Signé, a senior scholar and study author at Brookings Institution, the Covid-19 crisis has apparently resulted in the growth of digitalization globally. As online activities boosted, criminals, targeted critical digital infrastructure.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalization around the world, but as life has shifted increasingly online, cybercriminals have exploited the opportunity to attack vital digital infrastructure […] States across Africa have emerged as a favorite target of cybercriminals, with costly consequences,” says Professor Signé.
Nigerian Black Axe Gang
Interpol describes online frauds like banking and credit card frauds as the most pervasive and severe cyber threat across Africa. The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a sustained rise in the number and advancement of cyber-attacks, with more than half being targeted at online banking platforms, as per the analysts.
A major operation organized by Interpol this month, across 14 countries, emphasises the scale of cybercrimes across the continent and beyond.
Police later detained more than 70 alleged fraudsters in connection with the Nigerian cyber threat group known as ‘Black Axe’ in South Africa, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast, as well as in the Middle East, Europe, south-east Asia, and the US.
Moreover, about 50 residents were being investigated, with $1 million confiscated from bank accounts. Additionally, an apartment building, three vehicles, tens of thousands of dollars, and about 12,000 sim cards were seized.
Reportedly the Black Axe gang started out as a student organization, originating in Benin City, in the 1970s and later evolved into a worldwide criminal network, specializing in frauds. As per the US court filings, the group later claimed a regional headquarters in South Africa in the year 2013.
Authorities reportedly discovered phones and other equipment that were known to be used by Black Axe scammers, in Ireland. While tracing the group’s vocabulary, the investigators linked the group to West Africa.
A former South African criminal intelligence official says that although the fraudulent activities have comparatively reduced, one cannot assume that the organization has ceased operations. The official continued that these criminals manage their operations very well, and they have found solutions to all the issues.
A Major Base for Organized Crimes
As reported by The Guardian, South Africa has emerged as a headquarter for organized crimes.
South Africa apparently hosts the Black Axe organization, while also helping them proliferate worldwide. In this regard, Interpol further said, “as well as hosting Black Axe groups, South Africa also helps enable their spread to other parts of the world … Black Axe members come to South Africa to obtain South African citizenship, which facilitates their travel to the US, Europe or Dubai.”
Along with other acts of cyber fraud, threat actors in Africa generally targets victims via online dating services and apps, deceiving them into false relationships in order to acquire money or sensitive information about the victims.
Not only South Africa, Kenya as well has evolved into a significant base for digital extortion schemes, believes the FBI and Interpol. Thus, making the continent a major base for cybercrime activities.
