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Operation Chargeback credit card fraud takedown

Law Enforcement
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1 unique sources, 1 articles

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German prosecutors led Operation Chargeback, arresting 18 suspects in a credit card fraud and money laundering case that affected over 4.3 million cardholders across 193 countries. The coordinated action targeted 44 suspects and disrupted three networks that allegedly used payment infrastructure to move illicit transactions. Authorities also seized more than €35 million in assets, underscoring the scale of the cross-border case.

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Timeline

  1. 05.11.2025 14:29 2 articles · 6mo ago

    Operation Chargeback takedown and arrests

    Legal Policy Action Update

    German prosecutors and the Federal Criminal Police Office led Operation Chargeback on November 4, 2025, with support from Eurojust, Europol, and investigators from Germany, the USA, Canada, Singapore, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Authorities arrested 18 individuals, searched 29 locations in Germany, and seized more than €35 million in assets in Germany and Luxembourg as part of a multinational dismantling of three credit card fraud and money laundering networks.

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  2. 05.11.2025 14:29 1 articles · 6mo ago

    Public disclosure of Operation Chargeback scope and losses

    Initial Disclosure

    Authorities disclosed that the dismantled credit card fraud and money laundering networks were linked to losses exceeding €300 million ($344 million), affected over 4.3 million cardholders across 193 countries, and involved more than 19 million fake online subscriptions on pornography, dating, and streaming websites between 2016 and 2021. The same disclosure said the total value of attempted fraud against card users exceeded €750 million and that the suspects used shell companies and payment infrastructure to process and launder illicit transactions.

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