Federal authorities have seized two online marketplace domains and a blog used to sell fake identity documents, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. The sites, operated under the name VerifTools, were found to be producing and selling counterfeit driver’s licenses, passports, and other forms of identification that allowed cybercriminals to bypass verification systems and gain unauthorized access to online accounts.
The FBI began its investigation in August 2022 after uncovering a scheme involving stolen identity information used to access cryptocurrency accounts. Investigators determined that VerifTools offered fraudulent identification documents for all 50 states and several foreign countries, with prices starting at nine dollars payable in cryptocurrency. As part of their operation, FBI agents purchased counterfeit New Mexico driver’s licenses through the site using cryptocurrency payments. Authorities estimate that VerifTools facilitated approximately $6.4 million in illicit transactions.
“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 Ryan Ellison. “We will use every lawful tool to disrupt your business, take the profit out of it, and bring you to justice. No one operation is bigger than us together. With our partners at every level of law enforcement we will protect New Mexicans and defend those who stand up for our community.”
“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.”
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department worked closely with multiple jurisdictions during this investigation, including authorities from New Mexico and Virginia as well as Dutch law enforcement agencies.
