The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizure of the illicit PopeyeTools platform, a notorious online marketplace for stolen credit cards and cybercrime tools.
Alongside the takedown, authorities unsealed criminal charges against three alleged administrators: Abdul Ghaffar (25) and Abdul Sami (35) of Pakistan, and Javed Mirza (37) of Afghanistan.
PopeyeTools, operational since 2016, served as a hub for selling sensitive financial data and tools for conducting cybercrime, including ransomware.
The platform reportedly facilitated the sale of stolen data belonging to over 227,000 individuals, generating $1.7 million in revenue.
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Its offerings ranged from unauthorized payment card data to “scam pages” and tutorials for committing fraud. The website promised “quality” illicit goods, even offering refunds or replacements for invalid stolen credit cards.
According to the USA Department of Justice report, secured judicial authorization to seize the domains associated with the platform, including www.PopeyeTools.com, and confiscated approximately $283,000 in cryptocurrency from a wallet linked to Sami.
The three men face charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, trafficking access devices, and solicitation for offering access devices.
If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison for each offense.“This takedown demonstrates the DOJ’s commitment to combating cybercrime through an ‘all-tools’ approach,” said Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
“By taking down PopeyeTools and charging its operators, we are sending a clear message to cybercriminals worldwide.”
The operation involved cooperation across borders, with significant contributions from law enforcement in the United Kingdom and Malaysia.
The FBI, particularly its Buffalo Field Office, led the investigation. Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division emphasized the importance of dismantling cybercriminal infrastructure and seizing illicit funds.
PopeyeTools victimized thousands worldwide, including individuals in western New York. “This illegal marketplace enabled financial fraud on a massive scale,” said U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York. “Thanks to global collaboration, this platform has been permanently taken down.”
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