U.S. Seizes 145 Domains Linked to BidenCash Dark Web Marketplace

The U.S. government has taken decisive action against a notorious dark web marketplace, seizing 145 domains and an undisclosed amount of cryptocurrency linked to BidenCash. This marketplace was notorious for selling over 15 million stolen credit cards and generating more than $17 million in revenue. The operation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against cybercrime.

BidenCash, which began operations in March 2022, provided a centralized platform for the buying and selling of stolen credit card details, login credentials, and server access. The marketplace served over 117,000 customers, facilitating more than 15 million card transactions during its two-year run. The platform's administrators charged transaction fees, enabling users to purchase stolen financial and personal information, including access credentials to compromised servers.

To attract users and build trust among cybercriminals, BidenCash periodically released massive datasets for free. Between October 2022 and February 2023, the platform published 3.3 million stolen credit card records, including card numbers, CVVs, account holder names, email addresses, and physical addresses. These giveaways were part of a strategy to expand its reach, especially following disruptions such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. DDoS attacks are coordinated efforts to flood a website or server with traffic, forcing it offline or disrupting access.

The seizure of the domains will prevent further illicit activity, as they have been redirected to law enforcement-controlled servers. The U.S. government has also secured legal authorization to seize crypto funds tied to the marketplace. This operation is part of a broader effort to target crypto-enabled criminal networks, following global initiatives like Operation RapTor, which resulted in the arrests of 270 individuals across 10 countries and the seizure of $200 million in assets, including hundreds of millions in crypto.

The takedown of BidenCash highlights the increasing sophistication of law enforcement efforts to combat cybercrime. By leveraging advanced tools and coordinated actions, authorities are effectively dismantling major players in the cybercriminal ecosystem. The redirection of the seized domains to law enforcement-controlled servers ensures that the marketplace can no longer be used for illegal activities, providing a measure of security for potential victims. This operation underscores the ongoing commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect individuals and businesses from the threats posed by the dark web.