U.S. Government Seizes Online Marketplaces Selling Fraudulent Identity Documents Used in Cybercrime Schemes
justice.gov District of New Mexico | U.S. Government Seizes Online Marketplaces Selling Fraudulent Identity Documents Used in Cybercrime Schemes | United States Department of Justice Thursday, August 28, 2025 The operators of VerifTools produced and sold counterfeit driver’s licenses, passports, and other identification documents that could be used to bypass identity verification systems and gain unauthorized access to online accounts. ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced today the seizure of two marketplace domains and one blog used to sell fraudulent identity documents to cybercriminals worldwide. The operators of VerifTools produced and sold counterfeit driver’s licenses, passports, and other identification documents that could be used to bypass identity verification systems and gain unauthorized access to online accounts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating in August 2022 after discovering a conspiracy to use stolen identity information to access cryptocurrency accounts. The investigation revealed that VerifTools offered counterfeit identification documents for all 50 U.S. states and multiple foreign countries for as little as nine dollars, payable in cryptocurrency. The FBI used the VerifTools marketplace to generate and purchase counterfeit New Mexico driver’s licenses, which were paid for with cryptocurrency. The FBI has identified the equivalent of approximately $6.4 million of illicit proceeds linked to the VerifTools marketplace. The following counterfeit documents are an example of New Mexico driver’s licenses obtained from VerifTools. “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." Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department collaborated closely with investigators and prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions in this investigation, including the District of New Mexico, Eastern District of Virginia, the Dutch National Police and the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.
