Binance says it helped African police arrest 651 people in a cross-border scam operation

Binance said it has been working with police forces across Africa to help investigate and disrupt online scams by tracing the flow of funds after victims pay fraudsters.

In a statement published October 28, 2026, the crypto exchange said that once scams convince victims to send money, scammers typically move funds quickly between accounts and platforms, often across borders, making recovery difficult for law enforcement.

Binance said it responds to official requests submitted through legal channels by using transaction records generated by crypto activity. The company described its specialist investigators as being trained to analyze those records, and said its monitoring systems can flag suspicious activity. It added that it can assist investigations when payments involve mobile money services.

Operation Red Card 2.0

Binance cited what it called Operation Red Card 2.0, describing a coordinated effort between December 2025 and January 2026 that involved INTERPOL and AFRIPOL, the African Union mechanism for police cooperation. The company said the operation covered 16 African countries.

According to Binance, the support included tracing payments made through mobile money services to the base of a scam network, leading to 651 arrests.

Claims about crime-linked funds

Binance also said it has reduced the amount of money linked to crime reaching its platform by 96 percent since 2023.

The company framed this as part of its broader approach to prevention and public safety, saying it aims to stop scams early and help people recognize fraud attempts.

Focus on scam awareness

Binance said Binance Academy provides free lessons on how common scams work and how to avoid them, and stated that users can access the materials without an account or registration.

Larry Cooke, Director at Binance Africa, said prevention is important but that where police enforcement is underway, Binance’s role is to help investigators understand how money moves through digital platforms. He added that the company aims to be a trusted partner for law enforcement agencies across Africa.

Cooke also said there is a misconception that crypto helps criminals remain hidden, arguing instead that transaction records can be traceable. Binance linked this transparency to helping identify individuals who might otherwise go undetected.

The company said it remains focused on working with law enforcement and regulators as digital payments expand across Africa.

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