New research has revealed that dark web forums and markets sell Australians’ personal data at throwaway prices, with credit card details available for as low as $38 (AUD). These credit cards usually have a balance of $1,000 to $10,000. VISA, MasterCard, and AMEX card details cost more, with the prices ranging from $180 to $1,082, depending on the available balance.
Malicious actors can cause major harm to these victims for relatively small sums of money, with many already dealing with unfortunate consequences.
“When personal information has been obtained through a hack, people don’t understand the value of it,” said Michael Cassidy, BDO’s national forensics leader.
“Or, in a lot of cases, it’s not very valuable. It’s cheap to buy and it’s easy for people with nefarious ideas to purchase it and use it,” Cassidy added.
Social Media Credentials Available on Dark Web for $119
The report from BDO Australia also looks into the costs of other types of compromised data and services. BDO’s report provides an overview of dark web activity from April 1 to June 30, 2023, focusing on the impact on Australians.
The report states that anyone can purchase hacked WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram accounts for as low as $119. Personal ID documents, such as passport details and driver’s licenses, are available for $2,255 and $526, respectively.
Criminals also continue to focus heavily on ChatGPT login credentials to exploit the AI chatbot’s global popularity. According to the report, over 10,000 compromised ChatGPT accounts are available across dark web marketplaces.
“When you hear data’s been hacked, personal information’s been taken, no one really knows what the value of it is, other than the personal inconvenience of getting it replaced,” Cassidy stated.
“If you want to get hold of it, you can. And doesn’t cost you a lot. It’s not a big investment.”
Victims Recount Harrowing Experiences
BDO’s report states that hacked email accounts cost $269, while cloned SIM cards cost $399. Kris Leigh from Sydney, a cyberattack victim, told Australian media outlets that the fallout continues today.
“I was a victim of it four years ago and still today I’m dealing with the carnage,” Leigh told news.com.au.
Will Bottom, another Sydney resident, had his license information leaked onto the dark web after a Service NSW data breach in 2020. He later discovered huge withdrawals from his bank account.
“Basically, I logged onto my internet banking one weekend and I noticed there was $19,000 missing. I saw there had been two transactions, one for $9000 and one for $10,000,” Bottom said.
“I called up the bank to see what happened. They said it would take a few days to process where it had gone. It ended up being from two over-the-counter withdrawals at separate banks in Eastgardens and Miranda.”
“Someone had made a replica of my licence but instead it was their photo, it had my name, my date of birth, my signature.”
Best Practices to Secure Your Accounts
The report focuses heavily on the nature of modern-day scams and the monetary impact borne by Australians. Text messages, phone calls, and emails comprise 81 percent of the reported scam activity. In fact, criminals are increasing their focus on text messages since people generally do not pick up calls from unknown numbers.
Securing your online accounts requires caution, especially when interacting with texts and emails. Never click on suspicious links or links from unknown sources, and be wary of providing your primary email or phone number for one-time services. Read our guide to staying safe online for more security best practices.
Deploying a strong antivirus is a necessity in today’s cybersecurity landscape. For example, malicious actors rely on info-stealing malware to heist ChatGPT credentials. Therefore, we recommend using an antivirus like Norton 360 with high-level malware protection and an in-built password manager.
We also strongly encourage readers to get a top-quality VPN that also offers real-time security features. NordVPN is great at encrypting your internet traffic and keeping your personal data and online activity hidden from dangerous websites. It also offers features like Threat Protection (which protects you from malicious sites and web trackers) and dark web monitoring (which alerts you if your information appears on the dark web).
