US Law Enforcement Closes Down Cybercriminal Platform Used for Banking Account Hacks
January 5, 2026
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The United States authorities have successfully shut down a significant platform leveraged by cybercriminals to compromise Americans' bank accounts. The seized website, web3adspanels.org, now displays a law enforcement splash page, indicating its illegal activities involved SEO poisoning campaigns aimed at stealing banking credentials.
How Cybercriminals Exploited Search Engines
Criminals paid for premium placements in search engine results, appearing as legitimate banking websites. Unsuspecting users clicked these links, entered their login details, which were then captured and stored in a database—even though their actual bank accounts remained untouched because the attackers never gained direct access.
Role of web3adspanels.org
According to the Justice Department, web3adspanels.org served as a storage and manipulation platform for stolen credentials. Cybercriminals used this hub to coordinate credential theft and plan subsequent unauthorized access to victims’ bank accounts, executing illegal transfers.
Victims and Financial Impact
Prosecutors identified at least 19 victims across the US, including two corporations, targeted through this scheme—all part of a broader pattern of account takeover operations. The FBI attributes a total of $28 million in attempted transfers to the platform, with legitimate losses estimated at approximately $14.6 million.
Widespread Crime and Losses
Since the beginning of the year, law enforcement agencies have received over 5,100 complaints related to such cybercrimes, with reported losses exceeding $262 million, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Gaps in Security Controls
While law enforcement action has disrupted this specific platform, authorities have not disclosed how cybercriminals bypassed advanced security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA). The IC3's recent advisory also omits details on the attack methods used to breach these protections.
Evolving Threats
Recent trends highlight increased sophistication in cybercrime tactics:
- AI enhances the effectiveness of phishing, making attacks 4.5 times more successful (Microsoft).
- Passkeys are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional MFA methods, potentially offering stronger security.
- High-profile data breaches, such as the theft of data from 21,000 Nissan customers during a Red Hat attack, showcase the scale of data compromises.
- South Korea plans to implement facial recognition scans for SIM card purchases due to rising concerns over stolen personal data.
Common Attack Techniques
Cybercriminals often employ social engineering tactics—rather than straightforward phishing—to deceive victims into surrendering login credentials and MFA codes. Once inside an account, attackers typically transfer funds to their own regulated accounts, subsequently converting the money into cryptocurrencies, which complicates tracking across different platforms. Victims are also frequently locked out by changing their bank passwords.
Increasing Financial Losses
Cyber-enabled fraud has seen a steady rise since 2020, with total losses reaching over $16.6 billion in 2024. Notably, 83% of this amount stems from cyber-enabled fraud activities, underscoring the growing scale of online financial crimes.
Image of a hacking alert or cybersecurity
Note: All figures and details highlight the urgent need for improved cybersecurity defenses and vigilance against evolving cyber threats.