A new report from Privacy Affairs says that cybercriminals on the Dark Web will pay on average $1,000 for a full range of stolen documents and account details that enable them to conduct sure-fire identity theft. Your hacked Facebook account alone goes for $75.
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Researchers went on a data-gathering mission into the dark web to scan marketplaces, forums, and websites and create an index of the average prices for a range of specific products. According to the authors, they were only interested in products and services relating to personal data, counterfeit documents, and social media.
Highlights from their findings include:
- As far as Credit Card Data is concerned, researchers found that a cloned Mastercard with PIN goes for as low as $15, regardless of the victim’s current balance. Stolen online banking logins, however, with a minimum $2000 on the account, sell for $65.
- Hacked payment processing services will fetch a handsome dollar for the seller – up to $320.
- Forged documents like driving license, national ID cards and passports cost anywhere between $500 and $1,500.
- To gain access to someone’s social media account, the buyer can spend anywhere between $49 (for a hacked Twitter account) and $155 (for a hacked Gmail account). Facebook accounts sell for around $75. Offers to hack accounts or sell them are also available.
- PayPal account details are the cheapest, and the most common items listed
- Malware for activities like spyware, ransomware or cryptocurrency mining is sold based on quality and success rate. A low-quality ‘product’ that may not work as intended and has a low success rate costs around $70. Premium malware, on the other hand, sells for up to $6,000.
“For the average person, underground market data isn’t necessarily going to provide much use as they most likely aren’t shopping around for stolen card data or PayPal accounts. Though this is true, the prices at which these items sell provide a powerful perspective. If someone gets their hands on your financial details or social media credentials, the prices mentioned above is basically what it’s worth to them. There’s a good chance that you value these things much more than they do, as to them you’re just another mark for a quick buck,” according to the report.
To stay out of harm’s way, don’t give sensitive information over the phone or SMS (especially if the call/message is unsolicited), check the ATM for any potential skimming devices before you proceed to use it, don’t recycle passwords across different accounts and, of course, use a trusted security solution on all your Internet-connected devices.
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