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International Law Enforcement Dismantles Credit Card Fraud Networks

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International authorities have dismantled three large-scale credit card fraud and money laundering networks in Operation Chargeback. The operation targeted 44 suspects, including American, Austrian, Canadian, Danish, Dutch, German, and Lithuanian nationals, and resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals. The fraud networks affected over 4.3 million cardholders across 193 countries, causing losses exceeding €300 million. The operation involved over 60 searches and the execution of 18 arrest warrants. The fraudsters created over 19 million fake online subscriptions for services like pornography, dating, and streaming. They disguised monthly charges of about €50 to avoid detection. The operation was led by the Cybercrime Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office in Koblenz and the German Federal Criminal Police Office, supported by Europol and Eurojust. Authorities seized assets worth over €35 million, including luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and electronic devices. The suspects face accusations of organized computer fraud, membership in a criminal group, and money laundering. The fraudsters abused four major German payment service providers to launder proceeds, with six employees allegedly helping the fraudsters in exchange for fees. The suspects concealed their activities through numerous shell companies obtained through crime-as-a-service providers, primarily registered in the UK and Cyprus. The estimated attempted damages from the fraud schemes surpass €750 million (~$865 million).

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  1. 05.11.2025 14:29 3 articles · 5d ago

    International Law Enforcement Dismantles Credit Card Fraud Networks

    On November 4th, international authorities conducted Operation Chargeback, dismantling three large-scale credit card fraud networks. The operation targeted 44 suspects, including American, Austrian, Canadian, Danish, Dutch, German, and Lithuanian nationals, and resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals. The fraud networks affected over 4.3 million cardholders across 193 countries, causing losses exceeding €300 million. The operation involved over 60 searches and the execution of 18 arrest warrants. The fraudsters created over 19 million fake online subscriptions for services like pornography, dating, and streaming. They disguised monthly charges of about €50 to avoid detection. The operation was led by the Cybercrime Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office in Koblenz and the German Federal Criminal Police Office, supported by Europol and Eurojust. Authorities seized assets worth over €35 million, including luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and electronic devices. The suspects face accusations of organized computer fraud, membership in a criminal group, and money laundering. The fraudsters abused four major German payment service providers to launder proceeds, with six employees allegedly helping the fraudsters in exchange for fees. The suspects concealed their activities through numerous shell companies obtained through crime-as-a-service providers, primarily registered in the UK and Cyprus. The estimated attempted damages from the fraud schemes surpass €750 million (~$865 million).

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