The FBI and Dutch Police have dismantled VerifTools, a major online marketplace for fake identity documents, after seizing servers in Amsterdam that hosted the operation.
VerifTools was known for producing and facilitating the sale of counterfeit documents such as driver’s licenses and passports. These were used to bypass identity checks, commit fraud, and assume false or stolen identities.
Authorities say platforms like VerifTools are commonly linked to bank fraud, phishing schemes, helpdesk scams, illegal claims for government benefits, and evasion of law enforcement. They are also used to maintain anonymity on services that require identity verification and by young people trying to bypass age restrictions.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI, Welsh Police, Rotterdam Cybercrime team, and the EICD. The FBI launched its probe in August 2022 after uncovering a scheme to use stolen identity data to access cryptocurrency accounts.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico, VerifTools sold fake IDs for all 50 U.S. states and several foreign countries, with prices starting at nine dollars and payments accepted in cryptocurrency.
Dutch authorities estimate VerifTools earned at least €1.3 million, while the FBI links the platform to roughly $6.4 million in illicit gains.
The FBI took the site offline and placed a seizure notice on its main domain, veriftools.net. Dutch police explained that obtaining a fake ID was simple—users uploaded a photo, entered false details, and received a generated image of the document.
During the operation, law enforcement seized two physical servers and 21 virtual ones. The administrators of the platform remain unidentified, but officials hope the confiscated data will lead to arrests.
The Dutch police confirmed that the entire website infrastructure has been secured and copied for investigation. The Public Prosecution Service has not ruled out future arrests.
Anyone found using fake IDs or counterfeit payment methods could face up to six years in prison under Dutch law.
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