Chinese Organization Offers Thousands of False Licenses and Passports: Global Identity Theft
Chinese Organization Offers Thousands of False Licenses and Passports Exposed
A Chinese criminal network known as “ForgeCraft” sold over 6,500 fake U.S. and Canadian identification documents to over 4,500 purchasers, earning over $785,000 (approximately ₹6.91 crore) in income, according to a recent study by cybersecurity firm CloudSEK. The results, which were published in a comprehensive white paper, explain a complex scheme that combines secret shipping, worldwide marketing, and realistic document fabrication.
High-quality fakes, wide reach
The STRIKE team at CloudSEK discovered that the network promoted driver’s licenses and Social Security-style cards with UV markings, holograms, and scannable barcodes through 83 websites, social media advertisements, and instructional videos. One buyer ordered 42 commercial driver licenses linked to trucking companies with previous regulatory concerns; about 60% of buyers were above 25. Investigators caution that using phony identification documents can make it easier to access age-restricted services, drive without authorization, change SIM cards, evade bank account verification, and take over accounts.
Covert packaging and delivery tactics
ForgeCraft used common courier services like FedEx and USPS to ship IDs concealed inside commonplace objects like purses, toys, or stacked carton packing in order to prevent interception. CloudSEK verified fulfillment by tracking a cargo from Xiamen, Fujian, to Canada and comparing a customer record with a tutorial video. According to reports, bulk prices began at $65 per, and payments were made via PayPal, LianLian Pay, and cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin.
National security and financial risks
Law enforcement could take domains, and carriers should check for hidden packing, according to CloudSEK. This highlights the vital significance of thorough threat intelligence across social media, the dark web, and infrastructure channels, according to CloudSEK security analyst Ibrahim Saify. He went on to say that the scope of the operation presents obvious hazards to national security and financial criminality, ranging from potential voter fraud to facilitation of cross-border money laundering.
What authorities should do next?
The information has been shared with North American authorities along with pictures and tracking data. CloudSEK recommends stricter payment-channel regulations, more rigorous courier inspections, and coordinated takedowns. The ForgeCraft case illustrates how porous logistics, internet markets, and high-quality forgeries converge to form a profitable and challenging-to-police international illicit commerce.
About The Author:
Yogesh Naager is a content marketer who specializes in the cybersecurity and B2B space. Besides writing for the News4Hackers blogs, he also writes for brands including Craw Security, Bytecode Security, and NASSCOM.
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