VIENNA—In a sweeping operation across Europe, authorities targeted a sophisticated cybercrime network responsible for large-scale online fraud, leading to the arrest of one key suspect in Vienna. Europol announced on Thursday that the crackdown resulted in the seizure of over 50 servers and 200 terabytes of digital evidence, marking a critical blow to organized cybercriminal activities.
The network, described by Europol as a highly advanced system enabling extensive online scams, was dismantled in coordinated actions spanning Germany, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, and Norway. In addition to the Vienna arrest, another main suspect was apprehended in Germany. Both individuals, aged 27 and 37, are in custody under European arrest warrants, pending further legal proceedings.
The Vienna arrest was executed in collaboration with German authorities spearheading the investigation. Austrian officials, including the Federal Criminal Police Office, the Vienna State Criminal Police Office, and specialized street crime task forces, worked alongside Europol officers and German police from Hanover. Legal deliberations are underway regarding the suspect’s extradition to Germany.
Investigations into the network began in late 2022 after reports of fraudulent phone calls revealed a pattern of scams. Posing as bank employees, fraudsters extracted sensitive information such as addresses and security responses from unsuspecting victims. The stolen data was traced to a specialized online marketplace that served as a hub for the trade of illegally obtained information, allowing thousands of users to purchase stolen data categorized by region and account balance. This customization streamlined targeted scams, significantly increasing the efficiency of criminal operations.
Authorities uncovered that the marketplace also operated a network of fake online stores designed to deceive users into entering payment details, a classic phishing tactic. These details were subsequently sold, contributing to significant financial damages. The Hanover Police Directorate revealed that over 63,000 data records were stolen through these deceptive platforms, while the misuse of online banking and credit card information has already caused losses exceeding €250,000, with 57 victims identified so far.
Europol and investigators emphasized the unprecedented scale and sophistication of the operation, noting that it maximized revenue for its operators while facilitating tailored fraud for other criminals. The dismantling of this network marks a critical success in disrupting the infrastructure underpinning European cybercrime.
