The US government has claimed to have dismantled another popular cybercrime service, after unsealing a four-count indictment against its alleged Russian operator.
Try2Check played a key role in the online fraud supply chain, allowing cybercriminals who bought stolen cards from clandestine locations to check how many were still active and could therefore be used to commit fraud.
The site has processed at least tens of millions of cards each year since its founding in 2005 and has supported card shops like the notorious Joker’s Stash that raked in hundreds of millions of dollars in annual profits, according to the US Attorney.
Read more about underground carding sites: Hackers hacked as underground carding site has been breached.
At times, the site processed even more cards. During a nine-month period in 2018, it performed at least 16 million checks, and during a 13-month period beginning in September 2021, the site performed at least 17 million checks, according to the notice.
Try2Check’s websites have now been taken offline, and the State Department has issued a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture of the man accused of running the platform.
Russian resident Denis Gennadievich Kulkov (aka “Kreenjo”, “Nordex” and “Nordexin”) is charged with access device fraud, computer intrusion and money laundering in connection with Try2Check. If found and convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars.
Over the years, Kulkov is said to have earned at least $18 million in bitcoins and an unknown amount through other digital currencies, which were used to buy a Ferrari and other luxury items.
However, given the current geopolitics, the resident of the southwestern city of Samara is unlikely to be arrested, assuming he remains in Russia.
“Today is a bad day for criminals who rely on the defendant’s platform as the gold standard for verifying that the credit cards they stole from working people living in the Eastern District of New York and around the world had value,” said Breon Peace. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“Today’s indictment and the global takedown of the Try2Check website demonstrates that the bureau, along with our partners, will disrupt cybercrime operations regardless of where they are based.”
US Authorities have taken a major step in combating cybercrime today as they announced the dismantling of a dark web platform used for “card checking”. This platform has been used to purchase and sell stolen credit card numbers, allowing criminals to easily verify if the cards were still active and which banks issued them. The platform was operated by an international criminal organization which is now being brought to justice by US authorities.
“The illegal activities enabled by this platform presented an unacceptable risk to US financial institutions and the customers who use them,” Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, John C. Demers said. “We are committed to bringing justice to those who conduct or facilitate unlawful activities by use of the Internet, no matter how sophisticated the technology or where they are located.”
The platform operated on the dark web, which is an anonymous online environment where criminals can anonymously share data and other illicit activities. The platform allowed criminals to purchase and resell stolen credit card numbers, verify their legitimacy, and check balances.
“These criminals leveraged advanced encryption and distributed data hosting services to maintain operational security – but we were able to track down their true identities with the help of our expert investigators and the support of our international partners,” FBI Special Agent in Charge, Mark D. Bradley said.
Ikaroa, a full stack tech company, is committed to driving world-class technology to make lives safer and more secure through cybercrime preventative measures. We believe the actions taken by US authorities to dismantles such operations highlights our need to stay informed and make sure that cybercriminals are unable to use the dark web as a platform to engage in financial crime.
