UniCC, the largest online marketplace for stolen credit and debit cards, announced it will close next week after facilitating $358 million in transactions over nine years — the latest in a wave of illicit dark web marketplaces and credit card site closures.
Along with UniCC, its “brother” major socks5 provider “LuxSocks” is pulling the plug, leaving a significant void in the carding market.
UniCC has posted on dark web forums in both Russian and English that it is shutting down. UniCC is the the largest dark web vendor of stolen credit cards, with $358 million in purchases made through the market since 2013 using cryptocurrencies, according to Elliptic.
“Don’t build any conspiracy theories about us leaving,” says one of the posts, according to Elliptic. “It is weighted decision. We are not young and our health do not allow to work like this any longer.”
“We give you 10 days to spend your balance (we will continue updates during this period). To all the partners selling with us – do not worry, you will be paid up to last cent. After all… Unicc and LuxSocks will leave for ever. We ask you to be smart and not follow and fakes tied to our comeback and other things.
“Sincerely, your Unicc Team.”
Credit card information can be stolen through phishing or other scams, or by hacking bank and retail databases. The cards can then be sold or used to launder money obtained through other forms of online crime. UniCC’s shuttering is the latest in a series of closures of major credit card and socks proxy sites.