Law Enforcement Shuts Down Fake Identity Creation Service VerifTools

Red Dog Security

03 Sep 2025 — 1 min read

The FBI and Dutch police have announced the takedown of VerifTools, an underground marketplace that specialized in producing fake identity documents. During the operation, authorities seized both physical and virtual servers located in Amsterdam.

A Marketplace for Fake IDs

VerifTools operated as a large-scale platform for creating and selling fraudulent documents—including driver’s licenses and passports. These forgeries were widely used to bypass identity verification systems and allowed criminals to impersonate both real and fictitious individuals.

Law enforcement officials noted that such services are often exploited in bank fraud, phishing campaigns, tech support scams, and for illegally obtaining government benefits, as well as helping offenders evade prosecution or maintain anonymity on platforms requiring KYC (Know Your Customer) checks.

Origins of the Investigation

The FBI began investigating VerifTools in August 2022 after receiving intelligence about a conspiracy involving stolen personal data to access cryptocurrency accounts.

“The investigation revealed that VerifTools offered fake documents for all 50 U.S. states and a number of foreign countries for as little as $9, with payment in cryptocurrency,” the agencies said in a joint statement.

Profits and Scale

According to Dutch police, VerifTools generated at least €1.3 million in revenue, while the FBI attributes roughly $6.4 million in illegal proceeds to the operation.

Obtaining a fake document was described as remarkably simple: users only needed to upload a photo and provide fraudulent personal details. The service then generated a convincing fake ID image based on the submitted data.

Servers Seized, Operators Still Unknown

In total, authorities confiscated two physical servers and 21 virtual servers as part of the operation. While the administrators behind VerifTools have not yet been identified, investigators believe that analyzing the seized infrastructure may eventually lead to arrests.

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