April 15, 2026 | 09:48 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police (Polri) worked together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Atlanta, United States, to dismantle a global phishing operation.
This joint operation also involved Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital, the Polri's Cyber Directorate, and the Polri's International Relations Division.
Brigadier General Untung Widyatmoko, the Secretary of the NCB Interpol Indonesia's International Relations Division, said the Cyber Directorate and the Ministry of Communication and Digital spearheaded the investigation.
"The International Relations Division opened the communication path for an international law enforcement cooperation," said Untung when contacted on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
Quoting CBS News Atlanta, citing the FBI Atlanta website, FBI investigators said they had shut down a global cybercrime operation that used fake websites to steal thousands of usernames and passwords and fuel millions of dollars in fraud. It was part of a "first-of-its-kind joint investigation" with Indonesian authorities.
Investigators discovered a phishing tool known as the "W3LL kit" as the center of the case. The tool allowed cybercriminals to create fake login pages identical to trusted websites. Victims unknowingly entered their personal data and handed over access to their accounts.
In this joint investigation, Polri detained the alleged developer behind the tool, identified as GWL.
FBI investigators explained that the tool worked by capturing session data, allowing hackers to bypass the multi-factor authentication stage and gain access even if the victims had changed their passwords.
"This wasn't just phishing — it was a full-service cybercrime platform," said FBI Atlanta Special Agent Marlo Graham in a statement.
The perpetrators sold the tool for around $500 and supported it with an online marketplace that enabled cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen credentials and access breached systems. Between 2019 and 2023, more than 25,000 accounts were sold through this platform.
Despite the authorities shutting down the marketplace, the operation continued through encrypted messaging applications. They targeted over 17,000 victims worldwide from 2023 to 2024. Overall, this scheme was associated with an attempt to steal over $20 million.
With the support of the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the Indonesian National Police, investigators successfully identified and seized several crucial parts of the online infrastructure of the operation.
Read: FBI Searches Washington Post Reporter's Home
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