Several investigations by the Cybercrime Team of the Zeeland-West-Brabant unit revealed that suspects had accounts on the platform Cracked.io. This was a forum where not only cybercrime-related topics were discussed, but where data and tools for activities such as hacking, cracking, and other forms of cybercrime were actually traded. The platform is known for offering leaked data, illegal software, and tutorials on committing fraud. This could lead to the actual commission of crimes such as hacking, phishing, and bank helpdesk fraud. Over the years, tools for hacking computers or software and millions of personal data records were traded via the forum.

Identification of 126 Users
Through Europol, multiple countries have been involved in securing and shutting down the servers used by the forum and identifying and prosecuting the administrators. As a result, the Cybercrime Team of Zeeland-West-Brabant could focus on identifying Dutch users. In the end, they managed to identify 126 individual users. For each user, the criminal activities were mapped. Some individuals had been previously convicted or were already involved in ongoing investigations.

Interventions
This investigation led to various interventions targeting the users, with an average age of 20. The youngest user was just 11 years old. The users are spread across the country. In the past week, a large number of users received a personal letter and/or email from the police. Additionally, about 20 "stop" conversations were held. Criminal dossiers are being prepared for eight individuals, and these will be transferred to the Public Prosecution Service (OM), who will make a decision regarding further action. Additionally, several Telegram and Discord accounts are being removed, as these accounts are likely used for trading data of potential victims.

Also visible online to the police
Participating in and visiting such platforms may seem easy and harmless, but the risk is significant that a line is crossed, and a criminal offense is committed. During the interventions, the police also focus on warning users about the impact their actions have on both themselves and the victims. For example, a criminal record makes it very difficult to get a mortgage or request a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG). This may not seem important now, but it can be a big issue later in life. The emotional impact on victims is also highlighted.

Future
The investigation is still ongoing. The police and OM are also offering help to young people who need it. The police will continue investigating suspicious forums and their users. Have you encountered a suspicious situation? Report it to us at 0900-8844.