The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) shut down the PopeyeTools marketplace, an illicit website known for offering stolen credit card data and fraud tools. The DOJ filed criminal charges against three individuals who reportedly operated the site: Abdul Ghaffar, 25, and Abdul Sami, 35, both of Pakistan, and Javed Mirza, 37, of Afghanistan.
PopeyeTools: A Hub for Cybercriminal Activity
According to the report, created in 2016, PopeyeTools became an online marketplace for cybercriminals worldwide. The site sold stolen financial data, bank account numbers, and tools designed for committing fraud.
PopeyeTools allegedly served over 227,000 victims, generating over $1.7 million in revenue. The website gained credibility by offering to replace invalid stolen cards, attracting customers involved with cybercrime.
The platform also offered services for verifying the authenticity of stolen credit cards, debit cards, and bank account information. In addition, PopeyeTools was linked to malware activities, exposing the site’s role in advocating cybercrimes.
Domain Seizures and Crypto Asset Recovery
To disrupt PopeyeTools’s operations, U.S. authorities seized multiple domains connected to the marketplace, including www.PopeyeTools.com, www.PopeyeTools.co.uk, and www.PopeyeTools.to. These domains served as key access points for users involved in cybercriminal activities.
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In addition to seizing the website domains, the DOJ also recovered approximately $283,000 worth of crypto assets from a digital wallet controlled by Abdul Sami. This demonstrates the DOJ’s approach of targeting cybercriminals’ financial assets.
The three members of PopeyeTools face charges of access device fraud, trafficking in access devices, and offering access devices. Each faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge.
Yet, the federal court will determine the final sentences after examining the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other applicable factors.