From infected blood to ventilators

The dark web has always been a cesspool of black markets and conspiracy theories, but now with the Coronavirus outbreak, scammers have a new and more desperate audience to target their scams.

As organizations and consumers scramble to find protective goods, medical equipment, and cures for the Coronavirus, scammers have begun to promote fake vaccines, sales of N95 masks, and even ventilators on the dark web.

For those not familiar with the dark web, it is a hidden and anonymous network that overlays the Internet and can only be accessed through special clients such as the Tor browser.

The way web sites are hosted on the dark web makes it difficult for law enforcement to track down the owners and thus lends itself to criminal activity, anti-government and fringe ideas, conspiracy theories, and of course, scams.

In reports by dark web intelligence companies DarkOwl and Sixgill, a considerable selection of Coronavirus-themed scams are being promoted, with some being downright bizarre.

Below we have outlined some of the most "interesting" of the scams being promoted on the dark web. For each image, you can click on it to see a larger version.

Scammers run rampant during the Coronavirus crisis.

With most people worried about catching the Coronavirus and getting seriously ill, as expected, scammers are selling protective equipment, medical equipment, and even vaccines. 

For example, one dark web site is selling packs of 10 Farstar medical N95 masks for €80.

Another dark web post is trying to sell ventilators that are being used by hospitals to help COVID-19 patients breathe while they recover. 

In a dark web promotion discovered by Sixgill the scammer is selling products ranging from home care ventilators and up to Puritan Bennett 980 ventilators commonly used in hospitals.

Finally, DarkOwl found scammers selling alleged Coronavirus vaccines. One seller pretends that their vaccine has been created by Israel and costs $99 for doses of the vaccine.

The bizarre side of Coronavirus scams

In addition to the types of scams we would expect to see in a medical crisis, DarkOwl has also seen some very bizarre things being sold or promoted on the dark web.

One seller claims to be a "laboratory doctor in Spanish public health" who has obtained 24 blood samples and infected sputum of a COVID-19 patient. This person is selling these alleged vials for $100 each.

Finally, we have someone promoting an MP3 containing a "pure frequency" that can "kill corona virus". This post includes a link to an MP3 file that you should listen to 3-6 times a die to kill coronavirus in your body and the surrounding area.

As a general rule, you should avoid buying anything from the dark web as you have no idea whether you are going to get it, where it is coming from, and what it contains.

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