Website 'for criminals' shut down

An international website used by criminals to illegally buy and sell credit card details has been shut down, it has emerged today.

The Darkmarket forum operated for just under three years and sold information on how to obtain stolen identities and credit card details.

Around 60 people connected with the site have since been arrested in the UK, Europe and the US, the BBC reported.

The website, which before it was shut down could only be accessed through invitation, was attractive to criminals as it offered details contained on the magnetic information strips on the back of credit cards.

The data could then be used to fraudulently access large amounts of money.

The deputy director of the Serious Organised Crime Squad (SOCA), Sharon Lemon, told the BBC: "Darkmarket is a one-stop shop for the online criminal.

"You can go to the forum and engage in criminal activity quite freely.

"You can buy any product you want, you can sell any product you want."

She added: "They are taking someone else's money. These aren't geeks we're talking about. These are serious and organised criminals.

"And they can vary. You can be the beginner who can go on to the site, get a tutorial and start your life of crime."