<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>How much is your identity worth on the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cyber-attack-what-happens-if-my-details-are-stolen-dark-web/3f76ece5-f348-48cb-82ba-347a8b43c63b" rel="" target="_blank" title="dark web"><span>dark web</span></a><span>?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian internet users are being alerted to password breaches, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/cyber-attack" rel="" target="_blank" title="cyber attacks"><span>cyber attacks</span></a><span> and data leaks in alarmingly growing numbers, with an estimated 1.1 million accounts leaked </span><a href="https://surfshark.com/research/data-breach-monitoring/quarterly-analysis?srsltid=AfmBOoqHypFzUBw3xuF_WH1a-J0f7G9XyUtqzSA11V6IwiNOkfR-czrO" rel="" target="_blank" title="in the first quarter of 2026."><span>in the first quarter of 2026.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And if your accounts are compromised by a scammer, it can be a difficult process to claw them back - particularly if they land in the hands of a criminal.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/meningococcal-b-strain-warning-after-perth-man-dies-overseas/3c468ac9-2c7a-4883-b491-8a3631ec3319" target="_blank" title="Zander, 21, died hours after developing a headache and rash on flight"><strong><span>Zander, 21, died hours after developing a headache and rash on flight</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Do you have a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Experts at cybersecurity company NordVPN have warned that an Australian "complete identity" package – which can include card details, Netflix accounts, bank logins, and social media profiles – are for sale on the dark web for as little as $200.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every online account you own has a price tag on the dark web," NordVPN's chief technology officer Marijus Briedis said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/identity-theft-dark-web-cost/d2d8c473-bcfe-444e-8e05-a868905f655e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Your streaming subscriptions, your email, your bank login, your social media profiles.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Most people would be shocked at how little it costs a criminal to buy their entire digital identity."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The company, along with threat exposure management platform NordStellar, scoured the dark web and found around 75,000 marketplace listings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/meta-to-slash-thousands-of-jobs-in-ai-push/ddbeef78-ee8c-452d-a3fa-e367845a07ae" target="_blank" title="Meta to slash 8000 jobs in aggressive restructure"><strong><span>Meta to slash 8000 jobs in aggressive restructure</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A treasure trove of personal data belonging to Australians is actively traded and highly valuable in this sinister marketplace.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian payment cards sell for around $10 on the dark web, while digital passport scans retail for an average of $32.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Personal email accounts are sold en masse for as little as $1 each, but corporate email credentials are more valuable.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stolen Australian Microsoft Office 365 accounts can sell for an average price of $26.50, NordVPN found.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Social media accounts are a little pricier.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Facebook accounts sell for around $38, TikTok accounts are worth $60, while Snapchat accounts sell for an average of $34.50.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A complete Australian identity package containing enough personal details to steal someone's identity sells for around $200. That is nearly six times the price of an American equivalent," Briedis told Nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The reason is simple: supply and demand. Years of large-scale breaches in the US have flooded the market with American data, driving prices down.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Australian identity data is comparatively rare on the dark web, making it more valuable when it does appear."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If your data has been leaked and your accounts have been accessed by scammers, it may be too late.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Briedis said there is "no way of knowing" what details are available on the dark web.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"By the time stolen data appears on the dark web, it has often been available for months," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/meta-to-roll-out-extra-supervision-features-for-parents-with-teenagers-using-facebook-instagram/ebb681b9-6831-4ef9-8e9c-b3a8c914c3e0" target="_blank" title="Parents will soon see their child's AI search history on Facebook, Instagram"><strong><span>Parents will soon see their child's AI search history on Facebook, Instagram</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But there are several safeguards you can put in place to protect yourself against identity theft.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among the most important, Briedis said, is having a unique password for each account.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If one is breached, the others remain safe," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible, because even if a criminal buys your login credentials, they cannot access your account without the second factor. Be cautious about the personal information you share online.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Finally, invest in a dark web monitoring tool, so that if your data appears for sale, you find out immediately and can act before damage occurs."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Keep an eye out for suspicious bank charges or a login attempt from an unfamiliar location.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>These are are often the first signs that data has already been compromised, Briedis said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>