Dutch police arrest man for massive online data theft

Dutch police have arrested a 25-year-old man suspected of stealing and selling the personal online details of tens of millions of people worldwide, prosecutors revealed on Wednesday.

The Dutchman was arrested last November in Amsterdam after an initial investigation by Austrian police.

They acted after a dataset containing millions of names gleaned from the Austrian television and radio licence provider appeared on a cybercrime forum.

Austrian police bought the dataset in an undercover operation and police traced the online address to a home in Amsterdam.

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The arrest was only made public on Wednesday as the man was being held under maximum security conditions to prevent contact with outside world, the Dutch public prosecution service said.

“The man is suspected of trading the personal details of tens of millions of people, stolen from all over the world,” Dutch prosecutors said.

The database included the personal details of residents in Britain, China, Colombia and Thailand and the Netherlands, their statement added.

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The suspect is facing charges of possession or making available non-public data; possession of so-called phishing software and hacker tools; computer trespassing; and the laundering crypto currency valued at more than 450,000 euros ($491,000).

He was remanded in custody for three months on December 5 while the investigation continued, prosecutors said.

© Agence France-Presse