The Main Directorate of Digital Development of the Investigative Committee has completed a criminal investigation into the largest seller of bank payment card details and account access data in Belarus.
In 2019, a 19-year-old resident of the city of Bobruisk learned on the Internet about an easy way to make money by selling bank payment card details in the Telegram messenger.
In an effort to enrich himself, the young man actively opened bank accounts in his name, the access details for which he sold to numerous buyers. As the investigation established, his clients used them when placing bets on the sites of foreign bookmakers.
Having exhausted the limit for opening accounts in his name, a resident of Bobruisk began to look for third parties for his activities, the so-called “drops”, who were ready to provide him with bank cards issued in their name for a small fee, which he subsequently sold to anonymous buyers.
In 2021, he found two assistants who began to act as “drop guides” for him. For a monetary reward, they began to look for people from their circle, in whose names bank cards were subsequently issued for sale.
During a thorough examination of the computer equipment cleared in advance by the accused and the information available on it, as well as by restoring deleted traces of the crime, an entire database was discovered containing the personal data of more than 1,300 people, including their identification numbers, full passport data, as well as photographs of all of them. persons
It was established that in addition to distributing details, the accused carried out activities to distribute game accounts of virtual gambling establishments located and operating on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Using other people's personal data, he registered at least 3,000 gaming accounts in violation of current legislation. These accounts were sold to unknown persons who wanted to hide their identity when gambling. The process of identifying a user of a virtual gaming establishment was reduced to simply providing passport data and photographs of a dummy, which allowed the accused in some cases to register gaming accounts even for a deceased person, if the necessary data was available.
Investigators found that every day “drops” applied to banking institutions to open up to 10 bank cards, all of which were “Gold” or “Platinum” cards by status and were issued for accounts in foreign currency. The process of identifying a client was reduced to providing the latter with his passport, and the receipt of 9 Visa Platinum cards by a non-working citizen was not something suspicious for bank employees.
Based on the results of the investigation, the Investigative Committee sent proposals on taking measures to eliminate the conditions that contributed to the commission of the crime to the relevant banking institutions and virtual gambling establishments.
It is worth noting that the “drops” who agreed to open a BOD in their name for easy money and provide them to the accused also faced criminal liability under Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. Proceedings against such persons continue to this day. The evidence collected in the case indicated that the young man, with the complicity of two “droppers,” committed 146 episodes of criminal activity.
The cost of the details of one sold card varied from 3,500 to 10,000 Russian rubles. With the proceeds of crime, the unemployed defendant was able to afford an expensive car and modern computer equipment. During the investigation, the property of the accused was seized for a total amount of more than 100,000 Belarusian rubles.
The actions of the young man are classified under Part 1 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and his assistants are classified as aiding in the commission of this crime.
The accused admitted their guilt in full for the crimes committed, and also gave detailed testimony on the merits of the charges brought against them. The criminal case has been transferred to the prosecutor for referral to court.
In 2019, a 19-year-old resident of the city of Bobruisk learned on the Internet about an easy way to make money by selling bank payment card details in the Telegram messenger.
In an effort to enrich himself, the young man actively opened bank accounts in his name, the access details for which he sold to numerous buyers. As the investigation established, his clients used them when placing bets on the sites of foreign bookmakers.
Having exhausted the limit for opening accounts in his name, a resident of Bobruisk began to look for third parties for his activities, the so-called “drops”, who were ready to provide him with bank cards issued in their name for a small fee, which he subsequently sold to anonymous buyers.
In 2021, he found two assistants who began to act as “drop guides” for him. For a monetary reward, they began to look for people from their circle, in whose names bank cards were subsequently issued for sale.
During a thorough examination of the computer equipment cleared in advance by the accused and the information available on it, as well as by restoring deleted traces of the crime, an entire database was discovered containing the personal data of more than 1,300 people, including their identification numbers, full passport data, as well as photographs of all of them. persons
It was established that in addition to distributing details, the accused carried out activities to distribute game accounts of virtual gambling establishments located and operating on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Using other people's personal data, he registered at least 3,000 gaming accounts in violation of current legislation. These accounts were sold to unknown persons who wanted to hide their identity when gambling. The process of identifying a user of a virtual gaming establishment was reduced to simply providing passport data and photographs of a dummy, which allowed the accused in some cases to register gaming accounts even for a deceased person, if the necessary data was available.
Investigators found that every day “drops” applied to banking institutions to open up to 10 bank cards, all of which were “Gold” or “Platinum” cards by status and were issued for accounts in foreign currency. The process of identifying a client was reduced to providing the latter with his passport, and the receipt of 9 Visa Platinum cards by a non-working citizen was not something suspicious for bank employees.
Based on the results of the investigation, the Investigative Committee sent proposals on taking measures to eliminate the conditions that contributed to the commission of the crime to the relevant banking institutions and virtual gambling establishments.
It is worth noting that the “drops” who agreed to open a BOD in their name for easy money and provide them to the accused also faced criminal liability under Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. Proceedings against such persons continue to this day. The evidence collected in the case indicated that the young man, with the complicity of two “droppers,” committed 146 episodes of criminal activity.
The cost of the details of one sold card varied from 3,500 to 10,000 Russian rubles. With the proceeds of crime, the unemployed defendant was able to afford an expensive car and modern computer equipment. During the investigation, the property of the accused was seized for a total amount of more than 100,000 Belarusian rubles.
The actions of the young man are classified under Part 1 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and his assistants are classified as aiding in the commission of this crime.
The accused admitted their guilt in full for the crimes committed, and also gave detailed testimony on the merits of the charges brought against them. The criminal case has been transferred to the prosecutor for referral to court.
