October has not been the best of months for people active on the deep web. Several arrests were made, tackling all kinds of criminal activity on the darknet. One vendor who created and sold fake IDs on these underground marketplaces got an unexpected visit from local law enforcement agents. Germany is not a good place for deep web activity, as law enforcement agencies continue their fight against online crime.
German Deep Web Fake ID Vendor Gets Nailed
Any arrest revolving around the deep web is a victory for law enforcement. Even though the concept of the darknet is not illegal by any means, the people abusing this technology for criminal activity are violating the law. In Germany, that is not an acceptable course of action, and the mounting number of underground marketplace arrests is a clear example of how this situation will evolve.
While it remains unknown how German officials manage to identify individual darknet vendors, they are doing an excellent job so far. Multiple arrests were made in October 2016, and that trend will continue for the foreseeable future. One man in Coburg was arrested a few days ago for running a fake ID service on the deep web.
The man was under investigation since mid-September, and the evidence gathered lead to a swift arrest. In most cases, stopping darknet vendors takes months, or even years, of preparation. Coburg police officials had received several reports related to fraud using hacked accounts. But the criminal made one fatal mistake, as he made a lot of visits to the local postal stations where he would pick up and drop off packages.
Once the warrant was secured for his arrest, police officials started the surveillance game. They arrested the man while he was in possession of a package of fake IDs, which he attempted to drop off at a postal station. Law enforcement agents found other package sin his vehicle, all of which contained either fraudulent documents or narcotics. Other items seized included brand new items purchased with stolen credit cards.
The suspect’s house was raided by the police a few days afterward, and what they found was just astonishing. Apparently, the individual ran a full-time counterfeiting workshop, where he made use of fake IDs, holograms, and stamps. He was also actively selling stolen bank accounts, PayPal credentials, and several unspecified narcotics. All in all, a big score for the Coburg police team.
For now, it remains to be seen what type of jail sentence this man will face. Preliminary reports indicate he is responsible for at last US$17,000 in financial damages, although that number could be much higher once the investigation has concluded. It seems he will not be charged with narcotics trafficking, though, as the quantities were below the “personal use” limit.
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