All news with #europol tag

Europol Busts Credit Card Fraud Rings Across 193 Countries

🔎 International authorities dismantled three large credit card fraud and money‑laundering networks in a coordinated November 4 operation, Operation Chargeback, resulting in 18 arrests and the seizure of assets worth over EUR 35 million. Investigators say the rings exploited four major German payment service providers to process and launder at least EUR 300 million in fraudulent charges that affected more than 4.3 million cardholders worldwide. The schemes generated about 19 million fake online subscriptions by using stolen card data and low, recurring charges to evade detection.

Europol Urges Stronger EU Data Laws to Aid Investigations

🔐 At Europol’s 4th Annual Cybercrime Conference in The Hague, officials warned that criminals are exploiting encryption, anonymization and emerging technologies faster than law enforcement and regulators can adapt. Speakers including Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle and European commissioner Magnus Brunner urged stronger cooperation, updated laws and enhanced cross-border data-sharing to ensure lawful access to digital evidence while respecting privacy.

Dutch teens arrested for alleged espionage near Europol

🔍 Two Dutch 17-year-olds allegedly used a WiFi sniffer to spy near Europol, Eurojust, and the Canadian embassy in The Hague. They were reportedly recruited over Telegram and arrested after a tip from the national intelligence service, the AIVD. Europol says its systems show no signs of compromise. The suspects will remain in custody for at least two weeks while investigators probe the case.