UAE-led Operation Confrontation Ghost Identifies $39 Billion in Fraud-Linked Assets
An unprecedented international initiative has successfully identified over US$39 billion in fraudulent assets and thwarted more than 123 million online fraud attempts across 30 countries.
Operation Confrontation Ghost, a landmark international endeavour led by the Ministry of Interior, has achieved extraordinary success in combating organised digital fraud on a global scale. The three-month initiative, conducted from July through September 2026, brought together law enforcement authorities from 30 nations, the International Criminal Police Organisation and the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, alongside 13 distinguished private-sector partners specialising in technology, digital platforms and financial services.
The operation’s remarkable outcomes encompass the identification of more than US$39 billion in funds and digital assets linked to fraudulent activities, alongside the thwarting of over 123.71 million online fraud attempts worldwide. These achievements reflect an unprecedented coordinated response to emerging forms of digital criminality. The initiative resulted in the arrest of more than 960 defendants, the identification of over 3,500 suspects and 15,500 victims, and the exchange of more than 9,000 pieces of critical intelligence across participating jurisdictions.
Significant operational gains included the blocking of 4,126 bank accounts, the closure of more than 570 social media accounts implicated in fraudulent schemes, and coordinated raids on 29 fraud centres. Participating countries, judicial authorities and private-sector companies are engaged in ongoing efforts to recover the identified assets, valued at more than US$39 billion.
The operation further secured more than four billion financial transactions each month through tokenisation technology, substantially strengthening user data protection and reducing financial fraud risks across digital ecosystems. The participating nations encompassed the UAE, the Philippines, Canada, Norway, Japan, the United Kingdom, Ecuador, Romania, Kuwait, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Denmark, Myanmar, Brazil, Jordan, Italy, the Maldives, Singapore, Sweden, China, Senegal, France, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Slovakia, Kenya, Morocco, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea.
Colonel Dana Al Marzouqi, Director-General of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, emphasised that the operation demonstrated the indispensable importance of unified international efforts and integrated security and technological capabilities in combating digital fraud networks. She noted that the Ministry of Interior remains steadfastly committed to strengthening cooperation with countries, international organisations, and technology and financial services companies to combat transnational digital fraud and protect individuals and institutions.
Dr. Monica Kathina Juma, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, described Operation Confrontation Ghost as a exemplary model of international cooperation in addressing emerging forms of crime, specifically praising the UAE’s role in uniting international efforts and coordinating partnerships to ensure success.
Source: WAM News Agency