The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) have closed an online shop, fakeplastic.net, which sold fake credit and debit cards.
The business was started by three individuals Vinicio Gonzalez, Hugo Rebaza, and Sean Roberson, who started selling fake cards in April 2011 before coming up with a site in June 2012.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The site was used by fraudsters, who had stolen financial information from customers, to get custom-made cards. These cards were then used in-store and at ATMs.
The trio are estimated to have made around $34.5m by selling fake cards. The site sold around 69,000 fake cards, 35,000 holographic stickers and over 30,000 state identification card holographic overlays.
The site offered embossed and un-embossed options for credit and debit cards. Additionally, it also offered holographic stickers and overlays.
US Attorney Anne Tompkins said this ring of computer criminals ran an online one-stop shop where counterfeit credit cards were a mouse-click away.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData"As consumer fraud becomes more sophisticated, law enforcement and prosecutors across the country are joining forces to pull aside the veil of cyberspace anonymity and take down criminal enterprises that pilfer the identities of innocent victims for personal gain," Tompkins added.
