BogusBazaar: A criminal network of webshop fraudsters

We investigated a sprawling criminal e-commerce network that operates fake webshops. The fake shops processed over a million orders with an aggregate order volume of USD 50 million over the past three years.

A criminal group, which we name BogusBazaar, operates an extensive network of 75,000+ domains hosting fraudulent webshops. As of April 2024, approximately 22,500 domains were active. The network has processed more than one million orders since 2021, with an estimated aggregate order volume exceeding USD 50 million.

Not every order results in successful payment, so the actual primary financial damage is lower. Secondary damages caused by fraudulent use of stolen credit card details add to the overall damage.

Our research is covered by Die Zeit (German), The Guardian (English), and Le Monde (French). A subset of this criminal network has previously been reported on by Yarix.

BogusBazaar lures victims onto fake webshops, mainly offering shoes and apparel by well-known brands at low prices. BogusBazaar pursues two crime methods in parallel:

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