Police have dismantled a criminal gang accused of facilitating fraudulent text messages through a technology service, resulting in the arrest of 37 individuals across the globe. Authorities are currently reaching out to victims affected by the scheme.
According to officers, the perpetrators primarily targeted younger individuals who are more accustomed to online interactions. The scam involved “phishing,” where scammers used deceptive messages to dupe victims into making online payments.
The gang operated through LabHost, a platform that enabled criminals to send out large volumes of fraudulent messages and create fake websites resembling legitimate online payment or shopping services to deceive victims.
The criminals exploited LabHost to harvest identity information, including 480,000 card numbers and 64,000 PIN codes, which they referred to as “fullz data,” police revealed.
Although the total amount stolen remains unknown, detectives estimate that the LabHost platform generated nearly £1 million ($1.25 million) in profits for the criminal operation.
Deputy Commissioner Dame Lynne Owens of the Metropolitan Police emphasized the prevalence of fraud, stating, “You are more likely to be a victim of fraud than any other crime.”
She highlighted the police’s strategic approach, aiming to target and dismantle networks that facilitate large-scale online fraud on an international level.
Adrian Searle, director of the National Economic Crime Centre, emphasized that technology has facilitated crime on a large scale, describing it as being delivered in an “almost industrial fashion.”
He highlighted that LabHost provided criminals without technical skills the ability to easily acquire tools online and use them against victims in the UK and other countries.
The arrests resulted from a two-year operation involving the Metropolitan Police, National Crime Agency, City of London Police, and law enforcement agencies in 17 countries.
In the UK, 24 suspects were arrested, including individuals apprehended at Luton and Manchester airports. Globally, authorities conducted searches at 70 properties, leading to charges against one British man.
