Authorities in Zambia have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against cybercrime with the discovery of a sophisticated internet fraud syndicate. This operation led to the arrest of 77 individuals, including 22 Chinese nationals.
The raid, which was hailed as a major achievement, targeted a Chinese-run company known as Golden Top Support Services. Situated in Roma, an upscale suburb of the capital city, Lusaka, the firm purportedly recruited Zambians under the guise of call centre agents.
The operation, conducted by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in collaboration with the police, immigration department, and anti-terrorism unit, followed months of intelligence gathering. According to Nason Banda, the director general of DEC, the company had employed unsuspecting Zambians aged between 20 and 25 to engage in deceptive conversations with mobile users across various platforms.
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During the raid, authorities seized sophisticated equipment, including devices capable of disguising callers’ locations, as well as thousands of SIM cards. Notably, 11 Sim boxes were uncovered, which can reroute calls to bypass legitimate phone networks, facilitating fraudulent activities such as internet fraud and online scams.
Extent of Operation Revealed
The extent of the syndicate’s operations became apparent with the confiscation of over 13,000 SIM cards, both domestic and international. Evidence suggests that the fraudulent activities extended beyond Zambia’s borders, targeting individuals in countries like Singapore, Peru, the United Arab Emirates, and various African nations.
Legal Proceedings Initiated
In addition to the confiscated equipment, authorities seized firearms and ammunition, highlighting the gravity of the situation. While Zambian nationals have been charged and released on bail to assist with investigations, the foreign nationals, including 22 Chinese men and a Cameroonian, remain in custody.
Golden Top Support Services, the company implicated in the scheme, has yet to comment on the allegations, leaving authorities to continue their probe into the intricate web of cybercrime.
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Contravention of Zambia’s Law Against Internet Fraud
The nabbed Zambian criminals contravened the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act 2021 by engaging in deceptive conversations with unsuspecting mobile users across various platforms. These activities jeopardized the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer systems, services, networks, and information stored therein, as defined under the Act. By using devices capable of disguising their locations and rerouting calls through Sim boxes, the criminals facilitated fraudulent activities such as internet fraud and online scams, which are expressly prohibited by the Act.
Additionally, their actions extended beyond Zambia’s borders, targeting individuals in other countries, thus violating the provisions of the Act regarding international cybercrime. The authorities’ crackdown on this sophisticated internet fraud syndicate underscores the importance of enforcing cybercrime legislation to protect individuals and maintain the integrity of cyberspace.