SANTA CLARA, Calif.—How much does it cost to buy the personal financial information of your members? A new report offers answers on how stolen data is packaged for sale and how much it garners on the black market.
Intel Security, a division of McAfee Labs, has released The Hidden Data Economy Report, which reveals Dark Web pricing for:
- Stolen credit and debit cards
- Bank account login credentials
- Stealth bank transfer services
- Online payment service login credentials
- Premium content service login credentials
- Hospitality loyalty account login credentials
- Online auction account login credentials
To compile the data for the report, the McAfee Labs team worked with IT security vendors and law enforcement. They also examined numerous online communities where stolen data is bought and sold.
Payment Cards
“Payment card data is the most common type of data that is stolen,” said Bill Hardekopf, CEO at LowCards.com, Birmingham, Ala. “Within this overall category, though, there is a hierarchy of how the data is packaged, priced and sold. The most common package includes a software-generated number that provides an account number, an expiration date and a CVV number.”
The price increases if a bank account number and date of birth are included. The most valuable package includes what is called "Fullzinfo" information, which contains a billing address, PIN number, social security number, date of birth, mother's maiden name and username and password access. The average price for these packages in the United States are:
- Basic: $5-$8
- With bank account number: $15
- With date of birth: $15
- With Fullzinfo: $30
Payment Service Accounts
“The price for these accounts depends on the account balance,” said Hardekopf.
If the login credentials link to an account that contains a balance of $400 to $1,000, the cost will range between $20 and $50. If the account contains $5,000 to $8,000, the cost will rise to $200 to $300.
Bank Logins
“These accounts are the most valuable,” said Hardekopf. “The login credentials for an account with a balance of $2,200 costs $190. If the account allows cybercriminals to easily transfer stolen funds across international borders, the price goes up to $1,200 (for a $500 balance) to $6,000 (for a $20,000 account balance).”
Online Premium Content
Criminals are even buying login credentials for content such as online video streaming, like Netflix, which earns $0.55 to $1, premium cable channel streaming services, like HBOGo, which costs $7.50, comic book services ($0.55), and professional sports streaming ($15).