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.
Summary
- China, the U.S. and UAE reported their first joint crackdown on Dubai crypto romance scams.
- Authorities said nine fraud dens were dismantled and 276 suspects were captured in the operation.
- DOJ documents link similar networks to fake crypto platforms and millions in victim losses globally.
China’s Ministry of Public Security said the operation dismantled nine fraud dens and led to 276 arrests.
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 report said victims suffered financial losses after sending funds into the schemes. Xinhua said Chinese authorities presented the operation as part of wider cross-border cooperation against online fraud.
Crypto.news links raid to wider FBI case
Crypto.news reported earlier that an FBI-led enforcement action disrupted nine crypto scam centers and led to 276 arrests. Dubai police detained 275 people, while authorities in Thailand arrested one suspect tied to the same wider enforcement push.
The report said U.S. prosecutors in the Southern District of California charged several suspects with wire fraud and money laundering. It also said investigators linked the activity to Ko Thet Company, Sanduo Group and Giant Company, which authorities described as companies used to run scam centers.
How the crypto romance scams worked
The Justice Department said the defendants targeted people in the United States and other countries by building trust and affection over time. After that, they promoted crypto investments and helped victims move funds to platforms that were not real.
The DOJ said victims lost control of their crypto once they sent funds to the fake platforms. Prosecutors said the money was then moved through other crypto accounts, including accounts controlled by the scammers. The agency said investigators had already found millions of dollars in losses tied to the cases.
Moreover, the crackdown adds to a wider push against organized crypto investment fraud. The DOJ said FBI San Diego opened the investigation in 2025 after identifying companies and people managing scam compounds tied to crypto fraud.
FBI San Diego also said 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 show how law enforcement agencies are now targeting the operators, recruiters and managers behind scam centers, not only the wallets used to move funds.
