FBI announces takedown of phishing operation that targeted thousands of victims - TechCrunch

In Brief Posted: 11:41 AM PDT · April 13, 2026 Image Credits:Getty Images Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai FBI announces takedown of phishing operation that targeted thousands of victims The FBI announced on Monday that it “dismantled” a global phishing operation, which allegedly helped hackers target more than 17,000 victims worldwide. The website of the operation, known as W3LL, displayed a notice saying it has been seized by the FBI. The bureau said it worked with Indonesia’s police in the takedown operation, which resulted in the detention of the alleged W3LL developer — identified only as G.L. — and the seizure of “key domains.” Cybercriminals could purchase the W3LL phishing kit for $500 to deploy fake versions of websites that mimicked the login pages of legitimate services, allowing the criminals to steal passwords and multi-factor authentication codes from victims. The phishing kit enabled cybercriminals to “attempt more than $20 million in fraud,” according to the FBI. The W3LL online marketplace also allegedly allowed criminals to buy and sell stolen credentials and access to hacked systems, which “facilitated the sale of more than 25,000 compromised accounts,” said the FBI. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking to provide more information. Topics cybercrime, cybersecurity, FBI, hackers, hacking, In Brief, phishing, Security, W3LL Related SECURITY Booking.com confirms hackers accessed customers’ data Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 7 hours ago SECURITY Hackers steal and leak sensitive LAPD police documents Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Apr 8, 2026 FEATURED After fighting malware for decades, this cybersecurity veteran is now hacking drones Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Apr 4, 2026 Latest in Security IN BRIEF FBI announces takedown of phishing operation that targeted thousands of victims Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 5 hours ago SECURITY Booking.com confirms hackers accessed customers’ data Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 7 hours ago SECURITY Hack at Anodot leaves over a dozen breached companies facing extortion Zack Whittaker 9 hours ago