The FBI, in cooperation with law enforcement from the UK,
Netherlands, Germany and Ireland, seized the WeLeakInfo.com web site for allegedly
selling personal information from data breaches.
Crafted as a typical search engine, WeLeakInfo.com let users sniff through more than 12 billion records indexed from
around 10,000 data breaches. Names, email addresses, usernames, phone numbers,
and even clear-text passwords for online accounts are among personal
information sold by the website’s operators.
The website, which calls itself the “World’s Fastest and Largest
Data Breach Search Engine,” allowed any visitor to purchase 24-hour, 1-week,
30-day or 3-month website access at prices from $2 to $70, and included
unlimited searches and 24/7 support.
“With execution of the
warrant, the seized domain name – weleakinfo.com – is now in the custody of the
federal government, effectively suspending the website’s operation,” the US
Department of Justice said in a press release yesterday. “Visitors to the site will
now find a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain name has been seized
by federal authorities.”
As of yesterday, Dutch police arrested a 22-year-old suspect from
Arnhem and said the investigation is going forward, but offered no further
details.
The statement also encourages the public to help identify the
owners of the website “by filing a complaint (referencing #weleakinfo in the
“Description of Incident” field) with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center
(IC3)”.
Since data stolen in breaches is out of the control of individual users, any data exposed online can trigger impersonation, identity theft, fraud, phishing, or worse. It’s always recommended to stay up-to-date with the latest data breaches by monitoring your digital footprint, accounts and financial data for suspicious behavior.