Global BEC Crackdown Nets 65 Suspects

The FBI teamed up with international law enforcement agencies from around the globe to apprehend 65 alleged business email compromise (BEC) scammers behind crimes that cost some 500 US victims more than $51 million in losses.

The suspects arrested were from the US, Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, and Cambodia. 

BEC attacks are basically social engineering schemes that dupe an employee into making a wire transfer payment either by hijacking a corporate email account or spoofing one posing as a legitimate company executive or business partner, for example.

"Operation Eagle Sweep's success is directly attributed to our global reach and worldwide partnerships. Our message to criminals involved in these BEC schemes will remain clear: We will pursue you no matter where you may be located. The public we serve deserves nothing less," said FBI Cyber Division assistant director Bryan Vorndran in a statement on the operation.