Prospects for carders and carding

chushpan

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Carding, like any other form of cybercrime, is constantly evolving. However, its future is linked to a number of factors: technological changes, increased security measures, legal pressure, and changing user behavior. Let's look at the prospects for carders and carding in general.

1. Technological changes​

a) Strengthening security measures​

  • Tokenization: Replacing real card data with tokens makes them useless to fraudsters.
  • EMV Chips: Cards with chips are virtually impossible to clone.
  • 3D Secure: Additional transaction verification makes it more difficult to use stolen data.

b) Use of AI and Machine Learning​

  • Banks and companies are implementing algorithms to analyze user behavior and identify suspicious transactions.
  • Example: Automatic blocking of cards in case of abnormal activity.

c) Development of contactless payments​

  • Contactless cards and mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay) use encryption and one-time tokens, which reduces the risk of carding.

2. Legal pressure​

a) Criminal liability​

  • Laws against cybercrime are becoming stricter and penalties are becoming harsher.
  • Example: Long prison terms and large fines.

b) International cooperation​

  • Countries actively cooperate through organizations such as Interpol, the FBI and Europol to detect and stop carding.
  • Example: Shutting down darknet forums like Joker's Stash and Genesis Market.

c) Confiscation of assets​

  • All money and property obtained illegally may be confiscated.

3. Changing user behavior​

a) Raising awareness​

  • People are becoming more aware of how to protect their data.
  • Example: Using two-factor authentication, complex passwords, and checking statements regularly.

b) Transition to digital wallets​

  • Many users are switching to cryptocurrencies or digital wallets that are harder to hack.

4. New carding methods​

a) Social engineering​

  • Fraudsters are increasingly using psychological tricks to obtain card data.
  • Example: Phishing letters, fake calls from "banks".

b) Attacks on IoT devices​

  • Hacking IoT devices (smart refrigerators, cameras) can provide access to map data.
  • Example: Interception of data through vulnerabilities in home networks.

c) Using AI-generated fakes​

  • Deepfakes can be used to fool biometric authentication systems.
  • Example: Fake videos or voice messages asking for money.

5. Prospects for carders​

a) Decrease in income​

  • Increased security and technology make carding less profitable.
  • Example: Difficulty in using stolen data due to tokenization.

b) High risks​

  • The risks of being caught, arrested or deceived by competitors increase.
  • Example: Darknet scammers often sell "empty" databases.

c) Transition to the legal sphere​

  • Some former carders find use for their skills in IT, cybersecurity or the fintech industry.
  • Example: Kevin Mitnick, who became a cybersecurity consultant.


6. The Future of Carding​

a) Scale down​

  • Carding will become less widespread due to technological and legal restrictions.
  • Example: Fewer successful attacks due to improved security systems.

b) Focus on new technologies​

  • Fraudsters will look for vulnerabilities in new technologies such as cryptocurrencies, IoT and AI.
  • Example: Attacks on decentralized financial systems (DeFi).

c) The growth of organized groups​

  • Individual carders will be replaced by professional groups with a high level of organization.
  • Example: Groups such as Cobalt or Carbanak that attack banks and large companies.

7. Conclusion​

Carding remains a serious threat, but its outlook is ambiguous. On the one hand, increased security measures and legal pressure are reducing the scale of this activity. On the other hand, fraudsters are adapting to new technologies and finding new ways to bypass security mechanisms. For those considering carding, it is important to understand that this is an extremely risky and illegal activity that can lead to serious consequences.

If you have additional questions about the outlook for carders and carding, write!
 

The Prospects of Carders and Carding: Why It's a Dead End​

Carding (bank card fraud) is a dying and extremely risky activity. Here's why it has no future:

1. Technologies against carders​

1. EMV chips and tokenization​

  • Dynamic codes for each transaction make card cloning impossible.
  • Apple Pay / Google Pay replace real data with tokens - stolen information is useless.

2. AI fraud monitoring​

  • Banks block 99% of suspicious transactions in real time.
  • Algorithms analyze:
    • Geolocation.
    • Behavioral patterns (for example, if you usually spend 10,000 ₽/month, but here it’s 500,000 ₽ per hour).

3. Cryptanalysis (Chainalysis, TRM Labs)​

  • Even Bitcoin and Monero are not anonymous - transactions are tracked.
  • In 2024, 87% of carders who used crypto were deanonymized.

2. Tightening of laws​

PageMax termFine
RussiaUp to 10 yearsUp to 1 million ₽
USAUp to 30 years oldUp to $1 million
EUUp to 12 yearsUp to €500,000
ChinaFor lifeDeath penalty*
*In particularly large cases or when there is a threat to state security.

Examples:
  • In 2023, a group of carders in the Russian Federation was sentenced to 7–9 years for stealing 200 million rubles.
  • In the US, a hacker received 22 years for hacking 50,000 cards.

3. Economic disadvantage​

  • Previously (2010s):
    • Successful carders earned $10,000–700,000/month.
  • Now (2025):
    • Due to the protection of banks, the average income fell to $500-2000, while:
      • 90% of transactions are blocked.
      • The risk of arrest is 87% in the first year (Europol data).

4. High Income Alternatives​

The same skills can be applied legally and earn more:
ProfessionSalaryHow to start?
Pentesters$3500-$10000OSCP Certification
AML analyst$3200–$7000ACAMS course
Bug BountyUp to $1 million/vulnerabilityHackerOne, Bugcrowd
Crypto analyst$4,000–$8000Explore Chainalysis
Example: A former carder from Moscow now earns $500,000/year testing bank security.

5. What does the future hold for carders?​

  • Complete disappearance:
    • By 2027–2030, banks will switch to quantum cryptography and biometric payments (face/palms instead of cards).
  • Robot detectives:
    • AI will predict fraud before it happens.

💡Conclusion​

Carding is:
❌ A financial dead end (it's almost impossible to make money).
❌ A guaranteed term (the surveillance technologies are too powerful).
❌ An ethical disaster (you're robbing ordinary people).

Choose the legal path - it's safer, more profitable, and more dignified.

Need help choosing a course or career? Ask!
 

Prospects for carders and carding​

Carding, as a form of cybercrime, continues to be a pressing issue in the digital world. However, the prospects for carders and carding itself as a phenomenon are becoming increasingly limited due to increased security measures, changes in legislation and technological developments. Let's look at the main aspects:

1. Strengthening security measures​

  • Technological barriers: Modern payment systems are actively implementing security technologies such as tokenization, multi-factor authentication and EMV chips. These measures significantly complicate the work of carders, reducing the likelihood of successful attacks.
  • Development of Artificial Intelligence: AI-based systems help banks and payment platforms identify suspicious transactions in real time, making carding less effective.

2. Tightening of legislation​

  • Severe penalties: In most countries, participation in carding is punishable by large fines and long prison terms. For example, in Russia, participation in an organized group of carders can lead to up to 8 years in prison.
  • International cooperation: Organizations such as Interpol and Europol are actively combating cybercrime, which increases the likelihood of arresting carders, especially those operating internationally.

3. Decrease in trust in carding​

  • Risks for the carders themselves: Conflicts, fraud and data leaks often occur within criminal communities. This makes carding dangerous even for the participants themselves.
  • Tightening controls on the dark web: Platforms where carders sell stolen data are becoming targets for law enforcement, making it more difficult to access resources.

4. Economic and social consequences​

  • Damage to business: Carding causes significant damage to online stores and financial institutions. For example, in 2020, the carding market size increased by 116%, which led to increased losses for businesses.
  • Closing Vulnerabilities: Due to the actions of carders, many companies are forced to invest in cybersecurity, which in the long run reduces the opportunities for fraud.

5. The Future of Carding​

  • Difficulty of adaptation: As technology advances and security measures become more stringent, carders are faced with the need to constantly adapt. This requires significant resources and knowledge, making carding less accessible to newcomers.
  • Declining Popularity: While carding remains profitable for some, its popularity may be declining due to increased risks and fewer opportunities for successful attacks.

Conclusion​

The prospects for carding are becoming increasingly limited due to technological advances, stricter legislation, and increased user awareness. For carders, this means increased risks, decreased profitability, and the need to constantly adapt. In the long term, carding is likely to become less common, and its participants will face even greater difficulties.
 
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