Your identity could be for sale for as little as $200 on the dark web

How much is your identity worth on the dark web?

Australian internet users are being alerted to password breaches, cyber attacks and data leaks in alarmingly growing numbers, with an estimated 1.1 million accounts leaked in the first quarter of 2026.

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.

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Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at april.glover@nine.com.au

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.

"Every online account you own has a price tag on the dark web," NordVPN's chief technology officer Marijus Briedis said.

"Your streaming subscriptions, your email, your bank login, your social media profiles.

"Most people would be shocked at how little it costs a criminal to buy their entire digital identity."

The company, along with threat exposure management platform NordStellar, scoured the dark web and found around 75,000 marketplace listings.

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A treasure trove of personal data belonging to Australians is actively traded and highly valuable in this sinister marketplace.

Australian payment cards sell for around $10 on the dark web, while digital passport scans retail for an average of $32.

Personal email accounts are sold en masse for as little as $1 each, but corporate email credentials are more valuable.

Stolen Australian Microsoft Office 365 accounts can sell for an average price of $26.50, NordVPN found.

Social media accounts are a little pricier.

Facebook accounts sell for around $38, TikTok accounts are worth $60, while Snapchat accounts sell for an average of $34.50.

"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.

"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.

"Australian identity data is comparatively rare on the dark web, making it more valuable when it does appear."

If your data has been leaked and your accounts have been accessed by scammers, it may be too late.

Briedis said there is "no way of knowing" what details are available on the dark web.

"By the time stolen data appears on the dark web, it has often been available for months," he added.

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But there are several safeguards you can put in place to protect yourself against identity theft.

Among the most important, Briedis said, is having a unique password for each account.

"If one is breached, the others remain safe," he said.

"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.

"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."

Keep an eye out for suspicious bank charges or a login attempt from an unfamiliar location.

These are are often the first signs that data has already been compromised, Briedis said.

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