Police shut down fraudsters' website

The police said today they had shut down a sophisticated website that allowed fraudsters around the world to trade in credit card details and find out about the latest online scams.

So far 56 people have been arrested worldwide as part of a long-running international undercover operation into the DarkMarket site led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States.

The closely guarded, invitation-only forum, inaccessible to most web users, allowed criminals to buy and sell stolen financial information, such as people's online banking details and credit card data.

It also gave the latest information on how to commit online fraud and what equipment to use in financial crimes.

At its peak, the site had 2,500 registered members.

In Britain, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) said five people had been arrested as part of the operation in London, Manchester and Leicester.

"The people involved in this kind of activity have a certain arrogance -- they think they are untouchable," said Sharon Lemon, SOCA's Deputy Director of E-Crime.

"The message today is that no one should feel confident that these forums are a secure place to operate."

Further arrests are expected in the UK and elsewhere as the operation, which also involves police in Germany and Turkey, continues.