"US, Ukraine Shut Down Cryptocurrency Exchanges Used by Cybercriminals"

Authorities in the United States and Ukraine have recently shut down nine websites offering cryptocurrency exchange services to cybercriminals.  The takedowns are the result of cooperation between the FBI, its Virtual Currency Response Team (VCRT), the National Police of Ukraine, and Ukraine’s Prosecutor General.  The targeted domains, which now display a message informing visitors that they have been seized, are 24xbtc[.]com, 100btc[.]pro, pridechange[.]com, 101crypta[.]com, uxbtc[.]com, trust-exchange[.]org, bitcoin24[.]exchange, paybtc[.]pro, and owl[.]gold.  The authorities claimed they had not only seized the domains but also shut down associated servers, including ones located in the United States.  The DoJ noted that the targeted cryptocurrency exchanges were advertised on crime forums and offered support in both English and Russian.  In many cases, the illegal currency exchange services were used by ransomware groups, as well as other types of scammers.  Ukrainian police said they are currently trying to identify the individuals involved in the criminal activity.

SecurityWeek reports: "US, Ukraine Shut Down Cryptocurrency Exchanges Used by Cybercriminals"