The key facts
- Operation Confrontation Ghost (July 1 — September 30), led by the UAE Ministry of Interior: more than 960 arrests, 3,500 suspects and 15,500 victims identified, over $39 billion in illegal funds uncovered.
- 4,126 bank accounts blocked, 570 social media accounts closed, more than 123.7 million online fraud attempts thwarted, 29 searches conducted.
- 30 countries participated, along with Interpol, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, and 13 private partners, including Meta, TikTok, Bayut, and Dubizzle.
Results of Operation Confrontation Ghost
The United Arab Emirates led an international operation against digital fraud, during which more than 960 people were arrested, another 3,500 suspects and 15,500 victims were identified, and over $39 billion in illegal funds and assets was uncovered. The operation, called Confrontation Ghost, was conducted under the leadership of the UAE Ministry of Interior from July 1 to September 30 and lasted three months.
Scale and Areas of Work
According to The National, during the operation more than 123.7 million online fraud attempts were thwarted worldwide, 4,126 bank accounts were blocked, 570 social media accounts were closed, and 29 raids were carried out at fraud-related locations. The operation focused on three main types of digital crime: fraud using artificial intelligence, digital financial fraud, and online sextortion (blackmail with intimate material).
Participants and Partners
The campaign involved law enforcement agencies from 30 countries, Interpol, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, and 13 private partners from the technology, digital platform, and financial services sectors. Partner countries named include the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Ecuador, Jordan, and Bahrain. From the private sector, support was provided, in particular, by the Emirati platforms Bayut and Dubizzle, as well as Meta and TikTok. More than 9,000 pieces of intelligence information were exchanged. The operation also helped protect more than four billion financial transactions per month through tokenization technology, strengthening the protection of user data.
Assessments from Participants
Colonel Dana Al-Marzouqi, Director of the International Bureau of the UAE Ministry of Interior, stated that the operation demonstrated the importance of international partnership in combating fraud networks that use online platforms, financial services, and new technologies for cross-border criminal activity. According to her, the ministry will continue to strengthen cooperation with states, international organizations, and companies. UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma called the operation a model of international cooperation in combating new forms of crime and emphasized that the growing use of digital technologies, AI, digital platforms, bank accounts, and cryptocurrencies for transferring and laundering funds requires stronger countermeasures and global interaction.
