International Crackdown Leads to 18 Arrests in $300M Credit Card Fraud Scheme

An international crackdown led to 18 arrests in a $300M credit card fraud scheme affecting millions worldwide, highlighting the pervasive threat of organized cybercrime.

• Between 2016 and 2021, a fraud network operating across 193 countries stole data from 19 million credit card accounts, causing estimated losses of at least EUR 300 million.
• The operation involved suspects from multiple nations, including Germany, Canada, and Luxembourg, demonstrating the global scale of the fraud and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
• The investigation, spearheaded by the Federal Criminal Police Office (Germany), has resulted in arrests in various countries, including the Netherlands and Austria, emphasizing the need for international collaboration.