Internet fraudsters publish 19,000 credit card details

by Gill Montia

Story link: Internet fraudsters publish 19,000 credit card details

The credit card details of up to 19,000 Britons have appeared on the internet, apparently locatable by a simple Google search.

Publication of the details, which included names and address, is believed to have been an error on the part of a criminal gang from the Far East that intended to sell the data.

Instead it could be stumbled across by anyone browsing the net.

The site was closed down in February and payment services body, APACS, has confirmed that most of the cards making an appearance had been cancelled.

The Daily Mail says it has a copy of the data, giving the details of thousands of Visa, Mastercard and American Express customers.

According to the newspaper, APACS flagged the accounts of customers whose cards were still active at the time of the breach but has not advised individuals that their security has been put at risk.

Last year, a major investigation by international enforcement agencies shut down DarkMarket, an invitation-only website trading stolen credit card details and PIN numbers.

Details of ordinary account holders were sold for as little as £1 each and the site even provided training material for novice fraudsters.