Cops Take Down $249/Monthly Global Phishing Service Used by Hackers

Law enforcement officials in 19 countries have shut down an online platform that earned at least $1 million by selling phishing kits to cybercriminals, helping them launch attacks on tens of thousands of people worldwide, reported Mark Thompson for CNN.

LabHost had obtained 480,000 bank card numbers, 64,000 pin numbers, as well as more than 1 million passwords used for websites and other online services. I Photo: Group-IB

The operation, led by the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom, targeted LabHost, which officials said was set up in 2021 to make it easier for hackers to create fake websites aimed at tricking people into revealing email addresses, passwords, and bank details.

Thirty-seven suspects were arrested, and more than 70 locations were searched in the UK and across the world between Sunday and Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

“Since (its) creation, LabHost has received just under £1 million ($1,173,000) in payments from criminal users, many of whom Met cybercrime detectives have now been able to identify,” London’s police service said, adding that 2,000 users had registered with the site and were paying a monthly subscription.

LabHost had obtained 480,000 bank card numbers, 64,000 pin numbers, as well as more than 1 million passwords used for websites and other online services.