Stolen Australian identities selling on dark web for $280
An Australian’s tax file number, date of birth and home address can be purchased in a bundle on the dark web for just $280.
Cybersecurity companies NordVPN and NordStellar scanned dark web marketplace listings to compare the cost of illegally purchasing one’s stolen personal information from various countries.
Among nearly 75,000 listings, Aussies’ card details sold for $10 ($A14), Netflix logins sold for $5, or a bundle of tax file number, date of birth and address sold for $280.
Australian debit card details sell for an average of US$10, on par with the US and among the cheapest, the researchers noted. Stolen data is much less common in countries like Japan and Singapore, so cards from those countries cost more on the dark web.
“For less than a weekly groceries, a criminal can purchase enough personal information to file false tax returns or create a fake identity in someone else’s name,” said Marijus Briedis, NordVPN chief technology officer.
“Every online account you have has a price tag on the dark web – your streaming subscriptions, your email, your bank logins, your social media profiles.
“Most people would be shocked at how little it costs to purchase a criminal’s entire digital identity.”
While US and Australian debit card information is among the cheapest to buy illegally, the full package, which includes an Australian’s tax file number, address and date of birth, costs about six times what it costs for an American. Researchers say this price difference shows Australians’ details are harder to access and more valuable to criminals.
A scan of an Australian passport sells for about $45, while a driver’s license sells for about $54.
Researchers analyzed 75,000 marketplace listings across nine dark web markets between January 2025 and February 2026.
The analysis shows that criminals are more interested in corporate email addresses than personal ones. While the majority of personal addresses can be sold for just $1, stolen Australian Microsoft Office 365 accounts sell for an average of $26.50 (about $36.90).
The analysis found 227 Australian Office and GoDaddy mailing addresses for sale.
“Proto-access brokers, criminals who specialize in breaching corporate defenses and selling that access to other hackers, predominantly target North American and Western European corporate infrastructure,” the researchers say.
“But Australia, ranked ninth globally on corporate email lists, is definitely on their radar.”
Facebook accounts are the most common social media accounts for sale, accounting for 40 percent of listings and selling for around $53. A stolen Facebook login can open the door to linked Instagram accounts, business pages and advertising tools.
While Snapchat accounts sell for a few dollars less, TikTok accounts are worth nearly twice as much.
Netflix accounts sell for around $6 and Spotify accounts typically sell for $39.
Stolen Amazon accounts sell for around $70 and allow criminals to use gift cards and store credits to launder money or purchase easily resold items.
Crypto exchange accounts are among the most expensive accounts to sell because a stolen credit card requires complex money laundering processes, but a stolen crypto wallet can easily be converted into cash.
