Dutch police are sending warnings to former members of the Raidforums hacking community, urging them to delete any stolen data and halt illegal cyber activities. The police also warn that hackers are no longer anonymous and their whereabouts are known.
Raidforums had been a popular platform for sharing data leaks obtained through hacking organizations worldwide, often for sale or later use in phishing and other types of fraud. After its website and infrastructure were closed down by international law enforcement in April 2022 and its administrator and two accomplices were arrested, the police have become more active in pursuing former participants still engaged in cybercrime.
The National Police of the Netherlands has sent out thousands of electronic and hundreds of physical letters to former Raidforums members urging them to cease their harmful activity. The police also notes that information about hackers is no longer confidential, and law enforcement officers are aware of the identities of these illegal cyber actors and where they live.
Many former members are being identified by analyzing the seized database of Raidforums, which contained email addresses, registration IP addresses, and IP addresses used in the placement and upload of files on the site. So far, analysis of the seized data has led to the arrest of three individuals involved in extorting money from companies, threatening the leak of stolen data.
The police have also conducted “stop calls” to minor members of Raidforums and their parents, to inform them of possible consequences and deter them from engaging in cybercrime. The Dutch police have been active in monitoring cybercriminal activity and even posted messages on several hacker forums in 2021, including Raidforums and XSS, to inform them of the police presence.
The Netherlands has a special information and educational program called “GameChangers” aimed to deter young people from engaging in illegal cyber activities. Its effectiveness has been proven as several criminals were deterred by the police program.