EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The federal government has seized two internet domains and a blog being used to sell fraudulent identity documents including bogus New Mexico driver’s licenses.
The FBI in 2022 began investigating a company called Verif.tools allegedly involved in a conspiracy to steal cryptocurrency accounts.
The Netherlands-based company allegedly offered to manufacture fake passports, driver’s licenses and other forms of ID for as little as $8.99. The FBI used the Verif.tools marketplace to generate and purchase counterfeit New Mexico driver’s licenses, which were paid for with cryptocurrency. The FBI said it has identified the equivalent of approximately $6.4 million of illicit proceeds linked to Verif.tools.
On August 27, the Rotterdam Police Cybercrime Team raided an Amsterdam data center and secured two physical data servers and 21 virtual servers.
Simultaneously, the FBI took the platform offline.
“The internet is not a refuge for criminals. If you build or sell tools that let offenders impersonate victims, you are part of the crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Ryan Ellison. “We will use every lawful tool to disrupt your business, take the profit out of it, and bring you to justice.”
The number of fake New Mexico driver’s licenses actually sold was not immediately available. Verif.tools also sold fraudulent passports from countries in Europe, Africa and even Mexico, according to images released by Dutch authorities.
“The removal of this marketplace is a major step in protecting the public from fraud and identity theft crime,” said Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. “Together with our partners, we will continue to target and dismantle the platforms that criminals depend on, no matter where they operate.”
An extensive report published by Dutch authorities said Verif.tools was one of the largest known platforms for generating images of fake IDs. Its customers were people who either wanted to obtain a new identity or disguise their identities to engage in activities as serious as bank fraud and phishing to being able to enter a bar despite being underage.
Users found the platform via multiple access points on the internet, uploaded photos, entered false information, and then generated the desired fake ID.
Rotterdam police said all data on the servers has been secured and copied. Dutch authorities are trying to identify company operators and don’t rule out future arrests.
The operators face up to six years in prison if caught and convicted in the Netherlands.
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