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Don't let hackers crash your holiday
Saturday Star
|July 26, 2025
AS INTERNATIONAL travel surges, so too does cybercrime aimed at unsuspecting travellers.
From stolen passport scans to hacked frequent flyer accounts, criminals are cashing in on a booming black market of personal travel data, and the cost of your identity on the dark web might be far lower than you’d expect.
A recent study by cybersecurity experts NordVPN and Saily has uncovered just how vulnerable travellers are.
Stolen travel documents are being bought and sold online for as little as $10 (R177), while verified EU passports can command prices of over $5000 (R88 513).
Fake visa stickers, forged bank statements and loyalty accounts loaded with travel miles are also being traded for hundreds of dollars. Even confirmed Booking.com reservations are being resold for upwards of $250 (R4426).
“The staggering prices we're seeing on the dark web show just how valuable and vulnerable travellers’ personal information has become,” said Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN.
This story is from the July 26, 2025 edition of Saturday Star.
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