Zak Coyne, 24, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for running LabHost, a phishing platform that defrauded over one million victims globally. The website, described as a “one-stop shop for phishing,” allowed criminals to target unsuspecting victims through fake websites that mimicked legitimate banking, government, and shopping platforms. By charging a monthly membership fee, Coyne’s platform provided scammers with phishing pages and tools that facilitated identity theft. The stolen information included 480,000 bank and credit card numbers, as well as 64,000 PIN codes, enabling criminals to exploit their victims financially.
The scam, which lasted from August 2021 to October 2023, caused estimated losses of £100 million worldwide, including £32 million in the UK. LabHost itself earned nearly £1 million in profits from criminal activity. Following the takedown of the site by police in April 2024, 25,000 victims in the UK were identified and informed of the fraudulent websites where their money had been stolen. Authorities worked to secure their personal data, which had been leaked in a data dump from the platform. Police also sent tailored videos to 800 criminals who had used LabHost, showing the evidence they had gathered during the investigation.
The investigation, which led to the arrests of 24 suspects in 2023, was part of a coordinated law enforcement operation involving the Metropolitan Police and global agencies. This operation also included the National Crime Agency and banking security experts targeting criminal networks on the dark web. As a “cybercrime-as-a-service” platform, LabHost made it easier for less technically skilled individuals to engage in online fraud. With more than 2,000 scammers subscribing to the site, the platform’s reach and impact on global financial security were significant.
Law enforcement officials, including Commander Stephen Clayman of the Metropolitan Police, emphasized their dedication to tracking down individuals who facilitate such criminal activities. Craig Rice, CEO of the Cyber Defence Alliance, warned that platforms like LabHost have a ripple effect, enabling thousands of fraudsters to exploit banking and retail customers. Prosecutor Thomas Short stressed that fraud is far from a victimless crime, causing both financial harm and emotional distress to countless victims, and highlighting the importance of continuing efforts to combat cybercrime in all its forms.
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