My name is Aaron Sankin. I'm a reporter with the online news site the Daily Dot. You can check out some of my previous coverage of dark net markets here: http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/features-issue-sections/11688/silk-road-drug-related-violence/
I'm working on a story about the theft of electronic medical records. These records--which contain a ton of personal information like names, addressees, social security numbers, and insurance information--can be used by identity thieves to set up fake credit cards or take out fraudulent loans. They can also be used to get free medical care on someone else's dime or submit fake insurance claims and scam money from insurance companies.
The rates of data breaches of this type are increasing rapidly and there have been some reports of cybersecurity researchers coming across these records for sale on dark net marketplaces. I've been digging around some of the markets myself, but I haven't been able to find any of these records up for sale. I was wondering if any of the good denizens of r/darknetmarkets have ever come across someone either attempting to buy or sell this type of information?
There's recently been some buzz in the media about the trade in stolen medical records on dark net markets and I wanted to see if it's a real issue of if the hype about it has been overblown.
Somebody give this man a star for simultaneously being a reporter and doing some proper research. It's much easier to simply rehash the information reported from other "news" outlets. I commend you for your effort; please know that it goes neither unnoticed nor unappreciated (despite perhaps being slightly underappreciated).
This is actually the first I've heard about stolen medical records and DNMs. Like /u/throwahooawayyfoe said, they're more likely to turn up on carding forums. Most users of darknet markets are sourcing drugs.