Police worldwide have arrested 37 people in a major crackdown on cyber fraud, targeting a global gang accused of running an elaborate online scam.
The gang used sophisticated technology to trick victims, especially younger people, into making online payments through a “phishing” scam.
They operated through a website called LabHost, which facilitated the sending of deceptive messages and directed victims to fake websites posing as legitimate online payment services.
The gang managed to steal personal information, including 480,000 card numbers and 64,000 PIN codes, making significant profits estimated at nearly £1m ($1.25m).
Law enforcement agencies from 17 countries collaborated in the two-year operation, resulting in arrests in the UK and searches of 70 properties worldwide.
In the UK alone, around 70,000 victims were targeted, with efforts underway to warn and assist 25,000 identified victims.
Police also seized the email addresses of 800 criminals using the LabHost service, sending them personalized videos to deter further illegal activity.
The investigation represents a new approach involving collaboration between police, the National Crime Agency, and banking security experts to dismantle criminal networks operating online. Similar operations in the past have successfully dismantled other cybercrime groups, leading to significant convictions.
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