Police close Darkmarket fraud website

Losses & Lawsuits

LONDON - UK police have closed down an international website used by criminals to illegally buy and sell credit card information. Police described the DarkMarket forum as "a one-stop shop" for online criminals. The website assisted credit card and identity theft unhindered for almost three years.

The website, which could only be accessed by invitation, offered information contained on the magnetic information strips on credit cards, which can be used to access consumer funds.

The closure was the result of joint action by computer experts at the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. Posing as criminals, they gained access to the site and built up trust among the 2,000 members and the six criminal 'godfathers' who ran the forum.

UK police launched raids around the country, and some 60 people connected with the site have been arrested in the UK, Europe and the US, with more raids expected.

Eight other men connected with DarkMarket have also been detained in Britain over the past 18 months on suspicion of fraud.

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