INTERPOL backs new international alliance against cyber-enabled fraud

INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza has welcomed the establishment of the International Alliance Combating Telecom and Cyber Fraud, describing it as an important step towards strengthening international cooperation against a growing form of transnational organised crime.

Urquiza made the remarks during the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum, held in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, from 8 to 10 September 2026. He highlighted the increasingly transnational nature of major crimes and described China as a ‘strong supporter and partner of INTERPOL’ in efforts to combat fraud.

Telecom and cyber fraud operations increasingly span multiple jurisdictions. Criminal networks can combine social engineering, identity theft, phishing, online impersonation, cryptocurrency and money laundering, while relying on telecommunications and digital platforms. Victims, perpetrators and the infrastructure used to carry out and finance fraud may be located in different countries, making international information-sharing and coordinated action important for investigations.

The new alliance builds on existing international law-enforcement cooperation. China has supported INTERPOL’s Operation First Light, a global initiative targeting social-engineering scams and related money laundering. According to Urquiza, the 2026 operation involved 97 countries and territories and contributed to more than 5,800 arrests and the identification of over 15,600 suspects. More than 31,000 bank accounts were blocked, while approximately USD 293 million in illicit assets were intercepted. The operation also identified more than 142,000 victims.

The initiative comes as INTERPOL reports an increasingly sophisticated financial fraud threat. Its 2026 Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment describes financial fraud as increasingly connected to cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering and other forms of transnational organised crime.

The assessment also highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence in financial fraud. AI can support impersonation, deepfake production, automated targeting of victims and the creation of convincing fraudulent communications, potentially increasing the scale and profitability of criminal operations.

Against this backdrop, the new alliance is intended to support closer coordination in investigations, intelligence-sharing, capacity-building and efforts to disrupt the infrastructure used by fraud networks. The response to telecom and cyber fraud can involve not only law-enforcement agencies but also telecommunications operators, financial institutions, cryptocurrency platforms, technology companies and cybersecurity organisations.

The alliance therefore adds another framework for international cooperation as fraud operations become increasingly cross-border and technologically enabled.