A new report by Comparitech has found that selfies displaying passport information is a new market for counterfeiters, providing a method for obtaining bank accounts and other services under false names while bypassing many security features. “A passport scan is a digital picture of the ID page showing the bearer’s personal details and the passport’s unique nine-digit identifier. Fraudsters use them for opening bank accounts under a false identity. Passport scans are widely available online, selling for an average of $15, says Paul Bischoff who researches how personal data is sold. More daring sellers post a second form of ID like a utility bill or a selfie, which can raise the price to around $60. The more ‘add-ons,’ or additional forms of identity offered, the higher the price. A French passport accompanied by a selfie and a utility bill is offered for $124.80, for example. ‘The reason for this is because multiple forms of ID are usually required to pass proof-of-address and proof-of-identification checks on websites,’ writes Bischoff. ‘These checks are often part of the account recovery process in which a user has somehow lost access to their account and must prove who they are to regain access.’”
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