A global cybercrime investigation involving several Greater Toronto Area police forces has brought down a notorious online marketplace for stolen identities and data.
Dubbed Operation Cookie Monster, the investigation targeted Genesis Market and brought together police from 17 countries, including Canada.
The participating police services included York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police and the Toronto Police Service. A total of 208 raids were executed as part of the investigation, including three in Ontario.
The Ontario raids were conducted after the FBI tipped off investigators that there were individuals “who were believed to have purchased illicit obtained information” through the platform in the province, Ontario Provincial Police said in a news release.
A total of 208 raids were executed globally, resulting in the arrest of 119 people around the world.
At the time of takedown, Genesis Market had over 1.5 million bots and 2 million identities listed for sale, making it one of the largest online hubs for stolen data.
Before shutting down, Genesis Market, based in Russia, allegedly sold stolen identities for as little as one dollar. According to a media release from the RCMP, complaints to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre in 2022 totalled $530 million in victim losses, nearly a 40 per cent increase from 2021.
28 Canadian police services worked together to locate Canadian Genesis Market users, most of whom reside in Quebec. Using information provided by the FBI and National Cybercrime Coordination Centre, Canadian police units began issuing search warrants, device seizures and cease and desist letter on April 4.
The FBI has added the recovered stolen credentials to HaveIBeenPwned, a legitimate free service which uses an email address to determine if someone’s data has been compromised.
The RCMP is asking anyone who has used Genesis Market or been in contact with Genesis Market administrators to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
