Cybersecurity firm Check Point found listings for COVID-19 vaccines on the dark web for as high as $1,000, with some advertisements contradicting official medical guidance on the number of shots required. After performing a search query for vaccines, Check Point found more than 340 ads on 34 pages on the dark web. The average median price of $250 for an unspecified vaccine dose has now risen to $500 to $1,000.
Firm researchers placed an order for a vaccine dose from a vendor they contacted on an encrypted messaging app and were offered a vaccine, developed in China, for $750 in bitcoin. After paying and sending their delivery address, the seller’s account was deleted and the package was never delivered, according to the report.
There were also several sellers who claimed to supply vaccine doses in bulk. One vendor advertised a 10,000-vial order for $30,000. Another vendor Check Point contacted offered to sell an unspecified COVID-19 vaccine for around $300 in bitcoin and claimed 14 doses were required.
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