Why Your Social Media Data Is More Valuable Than You Think

Your social media data can be sold for a lot of money on the black market of the Internet, although some are much more coveted by cybercriminals.

Do you know what a fullz package is? Although it might seem like a complete package for tourist activities, the truth is that it is a much more sensitive set of data and that it can be sold at a very good price.

In hidden corners of the Internet, such as the dark web, many cybercriminal sell this type of data packages, which usually include first and last names, postal addresses, bank cards and identification documents.

Thus, cybercriminals who buy a fullz will have in their possession essential data to be able to impersonate a person, which could lead to privacy-related problems and even the theft of your bank account.

In short, it is one of the worst leaks to which a citizen can be exposed, since attackers could even obtain the social security number, one of the most sensitive pieces of data of any person.

Interestingly, many of the attackers do not acquire this type of data through the black market on the Internet but are responsible for collecting it on different platforms or social networks. And, in this sense, the human being is the weakest link in the chain.

Although your personal data should not have an associated price, think very carefully about what you share on networks, as these can be a goldmine for people with malicious interests.

Selling price of personal data (in dollars)

Your social media data is priceless; what is done with them, yes.

First of all, it should be noted that the price as such of your personal data, or of the publications on your social networks, is priceless. Now, what can be done with this does have great value.

According to estimates from different specialized sources, such as Trustwave’s latest analysis, personal data that corresponds to personally identifiable information (PII) starts from about $5.

To get to more specific ones, such as stolen banking credentials, the price to pay would already reach 200 dollars, a very cheap cost considering that the result can be devastating for the economy of a user who is a victim.

For its part, another specialized company such as Experian carried out an investigation of the prices at which stolen data was sold in places such as Dark Web that, although it is from 2017, perfectly illustrates the real value of such information.

Thus, the most important personal data is usually a passport or the complete details of a credit card, since the latter allows spending beyond a limit, generally a more than juicy objective for cybercriminals.

In this same area, medical data are some of the most valuable, as they can reach a whopping $1,000, still below the $2,000 sale price that can be seen on passports—those of the United States in the specific case study.

How much your data is sold for on social networks

When using any social network, such as Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter—now X—it must be taken into account, first of all, that these companies sell your data to third parties for advertising and measurement purposes, something very common and hidden in the terms of service.

Beyond the price that these third parties may pay for your personal data, cybercriminal groups know perfectly well what the true value of knowing different data associated with your profile is.

For several years now, Privacy Affairs has been publishing the exact prices of different personal data on the dark web. Thus, at a general level, the highest are always banking credentials, not only from traditional financial institutions but also from cryptocurrency sites.

But it also analyzes what hacked services, such as different profiles on social networks, cost. In this case, a Gmail account can cost up to 60 dollars, the most expensive if compared to others such as Facebook and Instagram ($25) or Twitter ($20).

Additionally, the study also shows how much followers cost on different social networks, which are usually groups of bots that artificially increase the audience of an account. In this case, to get followers on Instagram, Twitch, or Pinterest, you barely pay 2 dollars.

In conclusion, your personal data is really valuable, and somewhere, someone has already put a price on it. So take great care of what you share and on which platforms.

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