A Carding Marketplace Called "Joker's Stash" has Announced it will Shut Down
In an announcement, one of the dark web's most popular carding sites announced its closure.
Operators claim it's time to retire, giving users another month to spend their balances.
Cards will just move elsewhere, but a highly-specialized place like Joker's Stash is unlikely.
In the underground carding community, JokerStash, the biggest carding website on the dark web, has announced its closure. Several large and medium-sized darknet markets have also been closed as a result of a recent crackdown by law enforcement authorities.
While the shutdown of the marketplace does not mean stolen credit card information will stop being traded on the dark web, it is unlikely on a dedicated, active marketplace like Joker's Stash. There are many people who want to buy stolen items from dark websites. There are a lot of shops on the dark web that sell credit card CVV dumps, including try2services, BriansClub, etc.
Last year, The Joker's Stash uploaded a number of "fresh" card packs, including ones from Dickey's restaurant chain, POS malware, and what appeared to be ATM malware or skimmers. When the specific market upgraded its infrastructure and the caliber of its offerings, it transformed into what it was in October 2019, but this also brought the authorities' attention to them.
Interpol and the FBI seized the blockchain domains of the platform last month. Joker's Stash continued to operate despite this, but it was a sign of trouble. The volume of compromised records posted on the marketplace decreased after the summer of 2020, indicating criminal vendors moved to other places for whatever reason.
Now the announcement came, explaining that the "Joker" is leaving forever and going on a "well-deserved retirement." Users can spend their remaining balances until February 15, 2021.
Finally, the platform's operator warns that any new platform claiming to be an official continuation of Joker's Stash will be a scam created by imposters, and they won't open again. Last but not least, the announcement urges other "cyber-gangsters" not to lose themselves in the pursuit of easy money, which will not make them happy.
While the underground carding economy will remain mostly unaffected by this closure, we expect the transition of criminals to be fragmented and not centered around a single top-tier marketplace. According to Gemini Advisory, high-profile hackers have been regrouping stolen card records into groups of four or more, spreading them across multiple markets. To purchase good credit cards in 2022, visit j-stashes.