$6.4M Fake ID Empire Falls to FBI Raid, Returns Online Within 24 Hours
Law enforcement's crackdown on VerifTools, a counterfeit ID marketplace, underscores the ongoing battle between authorities and cybercriminals. The FBI and Dutch police seized servers and disrupted operations, but the site resurfaced within a day.
VerifTools generated $6.4 million in illicit revenue, selling fake driver's licenses and passports for as little as $9. These documents were used to bypass KYC checks on cryptocurrency exchanges, among other fraudulent activities.
Dutch authorities confiscated physical and VIRTUAL servers in Amsterdam, while the Rotterdam Police Cybercrime Team spearheaded European operations. The marketplace's surface web presence made it easily accessible to criminals seeking to circumvent identity verification systems.
