Police from China, the United States and the United Arab Emirates carried out their first joint international law enforcement operation against telecom and online fraud in Dubai, according to Xinhua. The operation dismantled nine fraud dens and led to 276 arrests of suspects accused of running online crypto romance scams in the UAE. As reported by Crypto.news, Dubai police detained 275 people, while authorities in Thailand arrested one suspect tied to the same enforcement action.
The latest enforcement action has revealed sophisticated deepfake operations where scammers impersonate government officials and financial sector leaders to defraud victims. According to Instagram reports, victims are made to believe they are attending video calls with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) representatives, Foreign Minister of Canada, and Senior Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the UAE. The scams also involve private sector participants such as Blackrock and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). After these fake government calls, scammers pose as lawyers to convince victims to transfer money to fraudulent crypto platforms.
According to Xinhua, investigators said the groups used social media to build fake romantic relationships with victims before directing them into 'so-called high-return cryptocurrency projects'. The DOJ documents link similar networks to fake crypto platforms and millions in victim losses globally. Chinese authorities presented the operation as part of wider cross-border cooperation against online fraud, with the crackdown adding to a broader push against organized crypto investment fraud.
As reported by Crypto.news, U.S. prosecutors in the Southern District of California charged several suspects with wire fraud and money laundering. Investigators linked the activity to Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group and Giant Company, which authorities described as companies used to run scam centers. The DOJ said victims lost control of their crypto once they sent funds to the fake platforms, with money then moved through other crypto accounts controlled by the scammers. The agency said investigators had already found millions of dollars in losses tied to the cases.
According to Crypto.news, the FBI-led enforcement action disrupted nine crypto scam centers and led to 276 arrests. FBI San Diego opened the investigation in 2025 after identifying companies and people managing scam compounds tied to crypto fraud. The DOJ said FBI San Diego's Operation Level Up had notified almost 9,000 victims of crypto investment fraud and saved an estimated $562 million by April 2026. The new arrests demonstrate how law enforcement agencies are now targeting the operators, recruiters and managers behind scam centers, not only the wallets used to move funds.
