On 4 November 2025, an international coordinated action day targeted three major fraud and money laundering networks as part of Operation “Chargeback.” Led by the Cybercrime Department (Landeszentralstelle Cybercrime) of the General Prosecutor’s Office (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft) in Koblenz, Germany, and the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), the operation has been investigating these networks since December 2020.
„The criminal networks are suspected of misusing credit card data from over 4.3 million cardholders across 193 countries. In total, the estimated damage from the fraud scheme exceeds EUR 300 million, with attempted damages amounting to over EUR 750 million.” – according to the press release.
Europol supported this investigation, which targeted 44 suspects from Germany and other countries. Among the suspects are individuals allegedly involved in the fraud networks, executives from German payment service providers, intermediaries, crime-as-a-service providers who supplied shell companies, and an independent risk manager.
In Germany alone, investigators searched 29 premises across several Federal States and executed five arrest warrants. Over 250 officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office, the Public Prosecutor General’s Office in Koblenz, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), and the tax investigation unit were involved. As part of the investigation, assets worth over EUR 35 million were secured in Luxembourg and Germany.
Modus operandi in this alleged fraud scheme
Between 2016 and 2021, the suspects allegedly used stolen credit card data to create around 19 million fake online subscriptions on professionally operated websites, primarily offering pornography, dating, and streaming services. These websites were designed to evade search engine indexing, making them accessible only through direct URLs or links. The charges on credit cards were kept low, around EUR 50 per month, with obscure descriptions, making it difficult for cardholders to identify unauthorised transactions.
Involvement of payment service providers
The suspects allegedly exploited the infrastructure of four major German payment service providers to process and launder the illicit transactions. Six suspects, including executives and compliance officers, are accused of colluding with the fraud networks, enabling them to access the payment infrastructure in exchange for fees.
Money laundering and shell companies
To conceal their activities, the suspects used numerous shell companies, primarily registered in the UK and Cyprus. These companies were used to distribute the fraudulent transactions, minimising the risk of chargebacks and detection. The shell companies were obtained through crime-as-a-service providers, who supplied complete corporate structures, including fake directors and Know-Your-Customer (KYC) documents.
Catherine De Bolle Europol Executive Director: „Operation Chargeback is a testament to the power of international cooperation in dismantling complex criminal networks. It underscores the critical role Europol plays in supporting law enforcement agencies across the globe. By leveraging our analytical capabilities and facilitating cross-border coordination, we have been able to bring down the networks defrauding millions of credit card users worldwide. This success demonstrates our commitment to staying ahead of evolving criminal threats. Together, we are making significant strides in the fight against serious and organised crime.„
Magnus Brunner – EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration: „The cross-border cooperation within the EU and with partners, coordinated by Europol, leads to meaningful global results. This is why we are working to update Europol’s mandate – to better support our law enforcement in protecting our citizens. We must boost our efforts against serious and organised crime by ensuring law enforcement has access to the data it needs. Today, over 85% of investigations rely on online evidence, and without this data, the fight against crime cannot be effective.„
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