FBI seizes WeLeakInfo.com website for allegedly selling sensitive data breach info

The FBI, in cooperation with law enforcement from the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Ireland, seized the WeLeakInfo.com web site for allegedly selling personal information from data breaches.

Crafted as a typical search engine, WeLeakInfo.com let users sniff through more than 12 billion records indexed from around 10,000 data breaches. Names, email addresses, usernames, phone numbers, and even clear-text passwords for online accounts are among personal information sold by the website”s operators.

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The website, which calls itself the “World’s Fastest and Largest Data Breach Search Engine,” allowed any visitor to purchase 24-hour, 1-week, 30-day or 3-month website access at prices from $2 to $70, and included unlimited searches and 24/7 support.

 “With execution of the warrant, the seized domain name – weleakinfo.com – is now in the custody of the federal government, effectively suspending the website”s operation,” the US Department of Justice said in a press release yesterday.  “Visitors to the site will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain name has been seized by federal authorities.”

As of yesterday, Dutch police arrested a 22-year-old suspect from Arnhem and said the investigation is going forward, but offered no further details.

The statement also encourages the public to help identify the owners of the website “by filing a complaint (referencing #weleakinfo in the “Description of Incident” field) with the FBI”s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)”. 

Since data stolen in breaches is out of the control of individual users, any data exposed online can trigger impersonation, identity theft, fraud, phishing, or worse. It”s always recommended to stay up-to-date with the latest data breaches by monitoring your digital footprint, accounts and financial data for suspicious behavior.