Russian Operator of Try2Check Indicted

Denis Gennadievich Kulkov
According to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, 43-year-old Denis Gennadievich Kulkov of Russia operated Try2Check, a now-defunct card checking services platform on both the dark web and clearnet from at least 2005 to April 2023.
Try2Check allowed its users to check whether the stolen cards in their possession were valid. For a small fee, the users of the platform could conduct checks and receive a report of how many cards in a batch of stolen credit cards were valid.
Investigations into Try2Checkopeartions were launched in 2013 by the FBI and US Secret Service. According to the complaint, the investigators established that Try2Check exploited the services of an undisclosed US payment processing company.
Try2Check used the company's preauthorization services to check the validity of cards. Try2Check impersonated merchants seeking preauthorization services from the company.
In November 2018, an undercover agent used Try2Check's card checking services to check the validity of twenty newly created credit card numbers.
The checks for the validity of the cards appeared on the company's preauthorization system. The system revealed that the checks had been conducted by fictitious US-based merchants. The system also revealed that the checks for the cards could be tied to nine IP addresses.
The investigators established that between April 13, 2018, and December 31, 2018, the IP addresses had submitted over 16 million credit card numbers for preauthorization requests.
To tie Kulkov to the operations of Try2Check, the investigators focused on the user names "Kreenjo" and "Nordex" which advertised card-checking services on multiple carding forums. Nordex and Kreenjo used the same ICQ number. Nordex also identified as Denis from Samara, Russia. The IP address used by Nordex to join the carding forums was of an Internet Service Provider located in Samara, Russia.
The investigators later obtained information from an undisclosed cryptocurrency exchange revealing that a user with the username "Nordexin" was on the exchange. The user used the name "Denis Kulkov" and an address in Samara, Russia to open the account. The user provided Kulkov's passport and Russian driver’s license for verification.
The exchange also gave the investigators a phone number and two email addresses linked to the Nordexin account.
In May 2019, the investigators acquired a search warrant for an undisclosed email hosting and cloud backup services provider associated with one of the Nordexin email addresses.
The investigators found out that the account had been used to save screenshots of Try2Check's admin panel. One of the images showed a list of the platform's users and their Bitcoin balances.
The account also had multiple emails sent by Kulkov, including to a cryptocurrency exchange he wanted to use to cash out his cryptocurrency. The investigators believe Kulkov made over $18 million in Bitcoin from operating Try2Check.

The rewards by the US Department of State
The US Department of State announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that will result in Kulkov's arrest or conviction. The department also offered a $1 million reward for information that could result in the identification of other suspects involved in the operation of Try2Check.
A four-count indictment unsealed on May 3, 2023, charges Kulkov with access device fraud, computer intrusion, and money laundering.
If arrested and convicted, Kulkov could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Comments (21)
PETAKillsAnimals2023-05-0749545bfa
Lol he’ll never be caught, Russian government probably gave him a standing ovation for defrauding the states. This is the definition of winning, undoubtedly.
Erwan McRetard2023-07-317b3cbbe9
can you read the first sentence of an article or are you too retarded?
DoeJohn2023-05-088b720754
This guy got doxxed badly. His OPsec was terrible. Same username as the one he use on his crypto exchange?? wtf?
erich2023-05-08af70a6f9
well as the article states he seems to have operated the service for at least 18 years... if not earlier, then upon reading "ICQ" any retard should realize his "work" was already going well for quite some time already, and I guess he earned not too bad in the meantime. Also he's in russia and probably his trajectory is clear for quite some time to him by now, you can't earn lots without the russian government wanting a slice of that cake, and if they got it - which I assume - then they'll do jack shit to arrest him and turn him over to the states, even less so nowaways - they probably send back a decent letter reading somewhat along "F*** you. sincerely, RUSSIA" to any requests from western countries, I bet.
Hasua2023-05-15c071b3f5
anyway post some working cc shop lol after feshop now feeling alone like my gf leave me alone 😆
The Joker2023-07-0391a75646
Got him! But it's a group, not a guy. And collecting will be ... interesting. So, FYI, the payout is right. And yes, John D., these orcs are stupid.
THEREDMAN2023-07-167b06408f
on the beach in las olas florida with a quarter million parked at the light i got enough ammo to last me 2 weeks non stop 223s and rpgz 20 million maybe ffv
Joy Division2023-05-056dc7f153
fella from wii bowling