FBI Probes Sale of Over 153 Million Driver's Licenses on Dark Web
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating a significant identity theft case involving the sale of digital scans of over 153 million driver's licenses on the dark web. This alarming breach also includes other sensitive documents, such as medical and residence cards. The compromised licenses belong to individuals in both the United States and Canada, and they appear to have been obtained by hacking into an identity verification service.
Krebs on Security has confirmed the authenticity of the claims made by the cybercriminals, as they were able to provide a scan of a legitimate driver's license, with other victims also verifying the accuracy of their scans. A new dark web service, known as Nexus, has emerged, claiming to sell these digital scans sourced from an active breach at a major identity verification company that serves several Fortune 500 clients.
The FBI's New Orleans field office has initiated an official inquiry into the origins of these images. Reports suggest that the identity verification company involved may be based in Louisiana. The criminals behind the breach assert that they still have access to the source of these scans, which is supported by their recent addition of nearly 400,000 new scans within just 24 hours.
There are indications that some of the stolen data may have originated from a verification service used by rental car company Hertz. The investigation points to a Louisiana-based company as a potential source, which has a client list that includes major corporations such as Target, FedEx, Motorola Solutions, Jack Henry, and Caesars Entertainment.
The irony of cybercriminals successfully hacking an identity verification service to facilitate identity theft is striking, highlighting the serious nature of this breach. Such incidents have become increasingly common, with recent estimates suggesting that online scams cost Americans nearly $150 billion last year as cyber scams continue to rise dramatically.
