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Police bust global cyber gang accused of industrial-scale fraud | Police bust global cyber gang accused of industrial-scale fraud |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Police made arrests in a series of raids, including this one in Bromley, south-east London | Police made arrests in a series of raids, including this one in Bromley, south-east London |
Police have taken down a gang accused of using a technology service that helped criminals use fraudulent text messages to steal from victims. | Police have taken down a gang accused of using a technology service that helped criminals use fraudulent text messages to steal from victims. |
They have arrested 37 people worldwide and are contacting victims. | They have arrested 37 people worldwide and are contacting victims. |
Officers say younger people who grew up with the internet were the most likely to fall for the "phishing" scam. | Officers say younger people who grew up with the internet were the most likely to fall for the "phishing" scam. |
The technology allowed scammers without technical skills to bombard victims with messages designed to trick them into making payments online. | The technology allowed scammers without technical skills to bombard victims with messages designed to trick them into making payments online. |
Police targeted the gang's site, LabHost, which helped criminals send the messages and direct victims to fake websites appearing to be legitimate online payment or shopping services. | |
It had enabled the criminals to steal identity information, including 480,000 card numbers and 64,000 Pin codes, known in criminal slang as "fullz data", the police said. | It had enabled the criminals to steal identity information, including 480,000 card numbers and 64,000 Pin codes, known in criminal slang as "fullz data", the police said. |
Detectives do not know how much money was stolen but estimate the LabHost site made nearly £1m ($1.25m) in profits. | Detectives do not know how much money was stolen but estimate the LabHost site made nearly £1m ($1.25m) in profits. |
Banks warn of big increase in online scams | Banks warn of big increase in online scams |
Warning UK losing £2,300 per minute to fraud | Warning UK losing £2,300 per minute to fraud |
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Dame Lynne Owens said: "You are more likely to be a victim of fraud than any other crime. | Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Dame Lynne Owens said: "You are more likely to be a victim of fraud than any other crime. |
"Our approach is to be more precise and targeted, with a clear focus on those enabling online fraud to be carried out on an international scale." | "Our approach is to be more precise and targeted, with a clear focus on those enabling online fraud to be carried out on an international scale." |
National Economic Crime Centre director Adrian Searle said: "Technology is enabling crime to be delivered at scale in an almost industrial fashion." | National Economic Crime Centre director Adrian Searle said: "Technology is enabling crime to be delivered at scale in an almost industrial fashion." |
And LabHost had given criminals without technical skills the opportunity to "buy them off the shelf online and use them against victims in the UK and elsewhere". | And LabHost had given criminals without technical skills the opportunity to "buy them off the shelf online and use them against victims in the UK and elsewhere". |
The arrests were the result of a two-year operation involving the Metropolitan Police, National Crime Agency, City of London Police and law-enforcement bodies in 17 countries. | The arrests were the result of a two-year operation involving the Metropolitan Police, National Crime Agency, City of London Police and law-enforcement bodies in 17 countries. |
In the UK, 24 suspects were taken into custody, with arrests at Luton and Manchester airports. | In the UK, 24 suspects were taken into custody, with arrests at Luton and Manchester airports. |
Worldwide, 70 properties were searched and one British man charged. | Worldwide, 70 properties were searched and one British man charged. |
Text messages | Text messages |
In the UK, 70,000 victims are believed to have been tricked into giving their details online. | In the UK, 70,000 victims are believed to have been tricked into giving their details online. |
About 25,000, who have been identified, will be sent text messages warning them which fake online payment services and shopping sites could have taken their money. | About 25,000, who have been identified, will be sent text messages warning them which fake online payment services and shopping sites could have taken their money. |
They will be advised to go to a Metropolitan Police website for advice. | They will be advised to go to a Metropolitan Police website for advice. |
Their cases have been reported to fraud investigators. | Their cases have been reported to fraud investigators. |
And officers say their personal details found in a dump of data, obtained from LabHost, have been "secured". | And officers say their personal details found in a dump of data, obtained from LabHost, have been "secured". |
Personalised videos | Personalised videos |
Investigators also seized the email addresses of 800 criminals paying up to £300 a month to use the LabHost service. | Investigators also seized the email addresses of 800 criminals paying up to £300 a month to use the LabHost service. |
And they will be sent personalised videos making clear police know who they are and what they have been doing. | And they will be sent personalised videos making clear police know who they are and what they have been doing. |
The strategy, which follows advice from behavioural psychologists, is designed to undermine criminal confidence in the security of scam services. | |
Law-enforcement agencies have taken control of the site | Law-enforcement agencies have taken control of the site |
The gang's activities were discovered in 2022 by the Cyber Defence Alliance, a small team of investigators funded by UK financial bodies to infiltrate criminal networks on the dark web. | The gang's activities were discovered in 2022 by the Cyber Defence Alliance, a small team of investigators funded by UK financial bodies to infiltrate criminal networks on the dark web. |
An alliance official said: "Unless we build a network to defeat a criminal network, we are going to be overwhelmed." | An alliance official said: "Unless we build a network to defeat a criminal network, we are going to be overwhelmed." |
This investigation is an example of a new approach involving police, the National Crime Agency and banking security experts to target criminals offering services to other criminals. | This investigation is an example of a new approach involving police, the National Crime Agency and banking security experts to target criminals offering services to other criminals. |
In November 2022, police took down iSpoof, another "crime as a service" operation, which allowed criminals to cold-call victims to take their money. | In November 2022, police took down iSpoof, another "crime as a service" operation, which allowed criminals to cold-call victims to take their money. |
Tejay Fletcher, 35, who founded the service, responsible for fraud totalling £100m, was jailed for 13 years in 2023. | Tejay Fletcher, 35, who founded the service, responsible for fraud totalling £100m, was jailed for 13 years in 2023. |
And in February 2024, the National Crime Agency took down LockBit, "the world's most harmful cyber-crime group", which had used ransomware attacks costing victims billions of pounds. | And in February 2024, the National Crime Agency took down LockBit, "the world's most harmful cyber-crime group", which had used ransomware attacks costing victims billions of pounds. |
Have you been the victim of a phishing scam that originated from a text message? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been the victim of a phishing scam that originated from a text message? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: |
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Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay | Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay |
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Related Topics | Related Topics |
Cyber-crime | Cyber-crime |
City of London Police | City of London Police |
Metropolitan Police Service | Metropolitan Police Service |
Internet fraud | Internet fraud |
National Crime Agency | National Crime Agency |
Fraud | Fraud |
Dark web | Dark web |