Your Medicare details are being illegally sold on the dark web
A darknet trader claims that the Medicare card information of every Australian is available to purchase online on the “dark web”.
The revelations follow an investigation by a Guardian Australia journalist who was able to buy their own Medicare details from a darknet trader who is illegally selling the information.
The website reports at least 75 Australians have already had their data sold on the website, with prices set at as little as $30.
Minister for Human Services Alan Tudge has asked his department and the Australian Federal Police to investigate the reports.
"Claims made in the Guardian newspaper that Medicare card numbers are able to be purchased on the dark web are being taken seriously by the Government and are under investigation," Mr Tudge said in a statement.
The darknet seller claims they are "exploiting a vulnerability" in the Medicare system, which allowed them access to the data.
There are fears the data breach could lead to identity fraud, but Mr Tudge says there’s no indication there’s been a wide-scale breach.
"The advice I have received from the chief information officer in my department is that there has not been a cyber security breach of our systems as such, but rather it is more likely to have been a traditional criminal activity," he said.
The contents of the “dark web” are hidden to most internet users. People can remain anonymous and untraceable online, allowing them to purchase or engage in criminal activities.
Government agencies routinely monitor the dark web.