Cyber Criminals Only Need $38 to Obtain Your Personal Details
The use of personal details in illegal activities is a growing concern around the world. In Australia, scammers are known to be buying personal details from the dark web for as little as $38 to carry out fraudulent activities. With $38, this can get a cyber criminal a hacked credit card that can contain between $1000 to $10,000 on the card and $100 can grab criminals' unauthorised access to accounts on Instagram and Facebook.
Researchers from the Australian Scam Culture Report found that 2.7 million people actively access the dark web each day to engage in scam-based activities making up a total of 23% of trades on the black market. Scam-based activities can include social media accounts, hacked credit cards, email accounts, and stolen personal or confidential data.
Full List of Scam-Based Items found on the Dark Web:
List of “professional hackers” - $18
Hacked Credit cards - $38
COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate - $119
Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram accounts - $119
Hacked WeChat and Discord accounts - $149
Email accounts were selling - $269
Cloned SIM cards - $399
Fake driver’s license - $526
Fake passport - $2255
“When personal information has been obtained through a hack, people don’t understand the value of it,” BDO’s national forensics leader Michael Cassidy told 7NEWS.com.au. “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. 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. If you want to get hold of it, you can. And it doesn’t cost you a lot. It’s not a big investment.”
Most Australians don't realise the value of their personal details on the dark web, and many are careless about protecting their information online. With a single email address, scammers can gain access to sensitive data such as bank account details, passwords, and confidential files. These criminals usually use the stolen identity to make purchases online, open new bank accounts, apply for credit cards, file fake tax returns, and even obtain fake passports. This can cause serious damage to the victim's credit rating and financial stability.
An example of scams recently taking place is an incident that took place in August with an Aussie man, Will Bottom, who lost $19,000 in just two transactions from his life savings.
“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,” Mr. Bottom told news.com.au. “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 license but instead it was their photo, it had my name, my date of birth, my signature.”
To be protected, Australians should take steps to secure their data online. This includes using complex passwords, avoiding public Wi-Fi networks, being cautious about clicking on links in unsolicited emails, and deleting unused online accounts. The Australian government has also taken significant measures to combat cybercrime and fraud. Australia has established the Australian Cyber Security Centre, which is in charge of providing online security advice and response services to citizens, businesses, and government agencies. The government has also enacted data breach notification laws, which require companies to inform customers when their personal details have been compromised.
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This is Part of our Cyber Security awareness educational campaign. Through this training, you will learn awareness and key principles, and best practices to protect yourself, your organisation, and the public from cyber attackers. You will also be equipped with the knowledge to identify potential threats and take action before any damage can occur.