Cybercrime bust
Authorities called the DarkMarket website a one-stop shop for the online criminal. But not just anyone could access DarkMarket, it was a member’s only online forum. This official says to work into the forum, you’d have to be nominated by a member. One member arrested today had gotten access to nearly 20 million dollars worth of credit. DarkMarket had been up and running for three years and authorities said they had penetrated the site for two of them. Nobody offered many details, but this CIA official says authorities learned a lot about how criminals used the internet; for example, think about how a group of bank robbers operate: there’s someone for each line of the operation. In the same way, he says, DarkMarket members had particular skillsets. DarkMarket might only be the tip of the iceberg. This analyst says this really points out the global nature of this crime. Earlier this week the FBI announced malicious online activity has become much more prevalent in the past year.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?