Law enforcement across Europe arrested two suspects and seized more than 50 servers in an operation led by German authorities targeting a sophisticated criminal network accused of facilitating large-scale online fraud through a specialized marketplace for stolen data.
The investigation, launched in late 2022, uncovered a platform where criminals could purchase stolen data customized by region and account balance for targeted fraud, Europol said. The network also operated phishing schemes through fake online shops, stealing payment credentials that were later sold on the marketplace.
Raids conducted on December 4 spanned multiple countries, including Germany, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, and Norway. Authorities seized over 200 terabytes of digital evidence and detained a 27-year-old suspect in Germany and a 37-year-old in Austria.
German police in Hanover reported that the perpetrators exploited stolen online banking and credit card data, stealing approximately €250,000 from 57 victims.