From drugs to life-saving paraphernalia: How the dark web is capitalising on pandemic panic!
A Palestinian man looks at webside hacked during the "#Op_Israel" campaign launched by the activist group Anonymous, in Gaza City on April 7, 2013
The world is currently experiencing the biggest pandemic of the last few decades: No major countries have been spared by the fury of COVID-19, which only takes a sneeze to catch on to potential carriers!
The virus has now killed over 70,000 people worldwide, with China, the US, and Italy serving as the major hotspots.
Also read:This new Israeli tech can diagnose anomalies with your vehicle, and also detect COVID-19 symptoms!
Amidst the chaos and a crumbling healthcare infrastructure, protective gear like masks and gloves are increasingly running out.
The notorious corner of the internet: what is called the “dark web”, which can be accessed only using certain browsers is famous for selling arms and drugs. The dark web hosts multiple shopping websites that deliver all these goods to your doorstep.
However, the murky side of the internet is now selling face masks in the times of a pandemic.
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What’s interesting is that while the rates of masks in the physical world as well as on the safer side of the internet have shot up due to overwhelming demand, the price of the same commodities on the dark web is much lesser. This could be as alarming as comforting, for people may be selling counterfeit or ineffective products.
One N95 mask on Amazon or eBay costs about $10, while dark web is selling it for a much acceptable price of $1.75.
From drugs to life-saving paraphernalia: One can also apparently buy testing kits for the virus online for over $90 per kit. Currently, many countries are hesitant in terms of testing because of the shortage of kits, and also due to the focus on serious life-threatening cases.
Additionally, capitalising on the panic-stricken people, sellers on the dark web are offering unverified cures with unverifiable descriptions.
However, unlike Amazon and eBay, there is no buyer protection here. Once you are duped, there is no turning back: no refunds or exchanges.
Additionally, you could get caught in a legal crossfire as most of these web portals sell goods that remain largely illegal. Besides drugs, exotic animals, and banned visual material like underage pornography is openly sold across the web.
Many sellers could simply be hackers looking for a way into your system. By impersonating health officials and agencies, they may attack your computer/phone and steal access to your private information without you even realising it!