Largest and notorious dark web marketplace Dream Market announced that it is scheduled to shut down its operation’s on April 30, 2019.
Dream market has been for six years, it is was the largest market place in the dark web that deals with illegal drugs, taxonomic chemicals, stolen documentation, hacking tools, malware, ransomware and more.
Threat actors recently listed sales of SSL/TLS certificates in Dream Market, Wall Street Market, BlockBooth and Nightmare Market.
Also, the hacker who stolen 620 million user data from 16 popular websites, with further investigation it appears the data appears to be purchased from infamous Dream Market.
Threat actors who registered with Dark markets reported that they received the following message from Dream Market “This market is shutting down on 04/30/2019 and is transferring its services to a partner company, onion address.”
User’s of the market place under confusion as the announcement came in the same day that officials arrested a number of dark web users who are active with different dark web markets.
According to DEA, “As a result of Operation SaboTor, the U.S. and international law enforcement agencies made 61 arrests and shut down 50 Darknet accounts used for illegal activity.
Law enforcement executed 65 search warrants, seizing 299.5 kilograms of drugs, 51 firearms, and more than $7 million ($4.5 million in cryptocurrency, $2.48 million in cash, and $40,000 in gold). They also conducted 122 interviews. In addition, participating agencies engaged in public education efforts regarding the dangers of opioid abuse during the operation.”
There is no official reason form Dream market for closure, users suspect about the partner market, it could possibly run by the authorities, possible honey trap.
The news shocked it’s users, in the home the page the market place displays the notice and diverting users to the partner company and the new site to be live soon.
So by the end of the next month, all the top markets AlphaBay, Hansa and Dream market sites will be down.
Recently French authorities shut down the largest and very active dark web marketplace Black Hand known for selling narcotics, weapons, forged documents, stolen bank details, etc.
Course: Secrets of Dark Web – How to Access Dark Web Safely