The U.S. government has dismantled a dark web operation that sold Americans' personal information.
The Justice Department said June 7 that it had seized the SSNDOB Marketplace, which ran a series of websites used to sell personal data like names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Over the course of several years, the marketplace listed the information of about 24 million people living in the U.S. and generated more than $19 million in revenue, the department said.
"I applaud the extensive work and cooperation by our domestic and international law enforcement partners in bringing a halt to this global scheme," U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg said in a government news release. "The theft and misuse of personal information is not only criminal but can have a catastrophic impact on individuals for years to come."
The U.S. Attorney's Office collaborated with the IRS, FBI and law enforcement authorities in Cyprus and Latvia on the investigation.