Roughly one million Canadians have been affected by scams facilitated by LabHost, a subscription website full of tools for criminals to phish and steal from people.
The ringleader behind LabHost was recently jailed in the U.K., so now, the RCMP’s Cyber Coordination Centre and various other police forces in Canada are working together to press charges on Canadians who used LabHost’s tools.
Since April 14, 2025, police have executed 10 search warrants against Canadian LabHost users and plan to conduct 118 enforcement actions against the suspected offenders. This is part of a more significant global push called Project NOVA, as law enforcement in 12 countries work together to stop people from using LabHost’s toolset.
In Canada, this includes 14 police departments, and the other countries include the U.S., Australia, and various members of the European Union.
LabHost was shut down a year ago, but now that the court case regarding the leader of the website has been settled, global police forces are now working to stop people who are still using its tools within their countries.
“Cybercrime is an evolving and borderless threat, demanding vigilance and adaptability from law enforcement working to defend Canadians against cyber threats like phishing. Project NOVA marks a significant step towards a safer and more resilient cyberspace, not only in Canada but around the world,” said Marie-Claude Dandenault, the RCMP deputy commissioner of specialized policing services, in a press statement outlining the Canadian angle of the operation.
“I want to thank the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre (NC3) for their leadership in this operation and all the partners involved for their coordinated efforts that strengthen our country’s cyber resilience.”
Image credit: Shutterstock
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, BBC News
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