US-Dutch joint crackdown on Pakistan based cybercrime gang

WASHINGTON: The US and Dutch authorities claimed joint crackdown on Pakistan-based cybercrime network accused of selling hacking tools and fraud-enabling services to criminals worldwide.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) identified the network as HeartSender, it stated that the network operated online marketplaces for over a decade, facilitating phishing, malware distribution, and large-scale financial fraud.

The law enforcement agencies seized 39 domains and associated servers used by the network. The US justice department estimated that these platforms caused financial losses exceeding $3 million in the US alone.

The US department of justice conducted crackdown in collaboration with the Dutch National Police.

“These scams not only target businesses but individuals as well,” said a US official.

The authorities, however, didn’t disclose any arrest in the crackdown on the criminal network.