Scammers can access Australians’ hacked credit card details for just $38 on the Dark Web, research finds

A complex and ever-evolving hidden part of the internet, the dark web can attract users looking to anonymously engage in illegal activities such as drugs, counterfeit currency, stolen data, hacking tools, and more.

According to The Australian Scam Culture Report by financial services firm BDO, traffic and trading on the dark web continue to rise, with approximately 2.7 million daily users in 2023 - up from 2.5 million in 2022.

23% of trades over online black marketplaces are scam-based activities, including accessing credit card, email, and social media details.

The report states that hacked credit card details are for sale for just $38. Access to hacked Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram accounts can be bought for $119, while email access details cost $269.

Is your data on the dark web? Find out!

Since your data means money for malicious actors of all kinds, it is their goal to harvest as much of it as possible. If you’re wondering, “how does one’s personal information get on the Dark Web?”, the answer includes data breaches, scams, and a very diverse range of cyber-attacks (phishing through email, private messages and voice calls, social media impersonation, malware infections or digital identity theft).

Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection scans the Dark Web to find if your personal information was exposed. It tells you which of your personal information is revealed and action prompts.

When you follow them, you reduce the risks of account takeover. You also keep scammers and cyber-criminals from setting up new accounts using your personal data and using them for fraud.

You also receive alerts in case of new breaches, so you’ll always know what to do to protect your data.

Read more about our identity protection and privacy solutions here.