The market for personal and private information on the dark web has grown in the past year, a new study has warned.

According to research from Privacy Affairs, the number of items sold on the dark web in the February 2021 to June 2022 period is up compared to the previous year.

Each of more than 9,000 active vendors selling fake IDs and credit cards are reporting sales in the several thousands of transactions this past year.

Not only this, but the volume of data sold in 2021 grew compared to 2020.

Furthermore, Privacy Affairs found that the menu of products has grown, with vendors adding items such as hacked cryptocurrency accounts and web services such as Uber.

What Does Data Cost?

Credit cards are selling for as little as $15 on the dark web. UK credit cards with the CVV go for an average $20, with Australian cards going for the most at $30. For a card with a balance of up to $5,000, vendors can sell them for an average of $120.

Stolen online banking login details are also popular, with accounts holding a minimum of $2,000 going for around $65. Verified Cashapps sell for an average of $800, while PayPal details can go for between $10 and $20, depending on the balance.

Access to crypto wallets go between $90 and $400, depending on the account.

But it’s not just financial data on sale. Hacked social media accounts are also available for sale on the dark web. Facebook – $45; Instagram – $40; Twitter – $25. Gmail accounts bring in the most at $65.

Documents are also being sold online. Scanned utility bills, driver’s licences and passports are all for sale, some, depending on the country, in the region of $150.

Physical IDs are available as well. The most expensive found is a Maltese Passport, which costs $6,500. EU passports sell for around and average of $3,800, while US ID cards trade for around $150.

Dark Web Market Forces

Furthermore, Privacy Affairs warned that the growing economy of the Dark Web data market is driving prices down, making stolen data more accessible.

For example, a credit card with a $5,000 balance is half what it was a year ago. And a PayPal account with a minimum of $1,000 that once went for $120 is now online $20.

As the Dark Web market matures, the people who run it use features and assume priorities that resemble conventional marketing and retail operations methods.

The researchers also found that the arms race between criminals on the dark web and law enforcement continues. Just as the police become more skilled at infiltrating and disrupting their operations, threat actor are becoming more secure and efficient.

To avoid detection and tracking by law enforcement agencies, dark web sites now use more—and more sophisticated—security measures throughout dark web transactions.

In addition, vendors are using traditional marketing tricks, such as discounts, promotions, coupons, and product reviews to gain market share.

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“Your data is valuable to cybercrooks, and it doesn’t cost much to steal your identity or otherwise exploit you,” warned cybersecurity specialist Patricia Ruffio in the research.

“The sheer quantity of data available for purchase has created a bulk sales mentality for Dark Web customers.

“The sad truth is that the growing supply of personal information on the Dark Web makes it cheaper—and therefore more likely—that your accounts will be hacked.”

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