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The Egyptian Ministry of Interior has clarified reports circulating on social media regarding the disappearance of a Chinese tourist in the country, confirming that it was part of an organized cyber fraud operation, not an ordinary tourist incident.
According to an official statement from the Ministry of Interior, on Tuesday, the gang consists of eight members, including three Chinese nationals, specializing in fraud and extortion.
Authorities apprehended one of the kidnapped victims, a national of the same country, who was rescued during the operation.
Investigations reveal that the gang lures most of their victims, primarily Chinese nationals, online with promises of lucrative e-commerce job opportunities.
Upon arrival in Egypt, the group kidnaps them and forces them to contact their families to pay ransom through online platforms.
The suspects were arrested in a residential apartment in Cairo, with authorities seizing firearms, knives, stun guns, and mobile phones containing evidence of their criminal activities.
In recent years, criminal gangs specializing in luring victims online with false e-commerce job offers, then kidnapping them and coercing them into paying ransom through digital platforms, have become increasingly common in the Arab region.
These crimes are part of a broader global phenomenon. According to Interpol’s 2025 report, cyber fraud in Asia and the Middle East has caused annual losses of up to $50 billion, with a particular focus on Chinese tourists due to the strength of the Chinese currency.
In August 2024, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced the dismantling of 12 cyber fraud networks, resulting in the arrest of 45 individuals.
Most of the victims were Chinese, as part of the “Safe 2025” campaign to enhance tourist security.
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