Like selling your virtual soul: researchers discover an extraordinary identity farming operation in which the perpetrators are the victims
- In Latin America and Eastern Europe, people deliberately sell their identity documents
- Individuals are happy to provide photos and documentation in exchange for payment
- This turn in identity abuse crime makes standard counterfeiting detection redundant
Researchers at iProov have discovered a complex dark web operation aimed at undermining Know Your Customer (KYC) verification processes.
Unlike conventional identity theft, this scheme involves unsuspecting victims voluntarily handing over their identity documents and facial images in exchange for financial compensation.
Called “identity farming,” this approach allows criminals to misuse real credentials to bypass authentication systems, complicating detection efforts.
Misusing real credentials
By capturing genuine credentials, the operation, which operates primarily in the Latin America region, can outsmart traditional document verification methods, which excel at detecting forgeries or alterations.
Although similar activities have been observed in Eastern Europe, no direct link between the groups has been established.
In regions experiencing economic hardship and high unemployment, individuals are willing to compromise their identities for short-term financial gain.
Scammers exploit their victims in this way, offering payment in exchange for identity documents and biometric data, often under false pretenses. Many victims consider this a low-risk transaction.
How identity farming operations work
Attackers are a mixed skill group. Those at the entry level rely on simple but effective techniques such as presenting static images or pre-recorded videos.
More advanced actors use sophisticated tools such as face-swapping software and lighting manipulations, and the most capable attackers use custom AI models and 3D animations designed to mimic natural human behavior in real time.
According to iProov, there is a need for a multi-layered strategy when securing identity verification systems.
This includes measures such as verifying that the identity presented matches official documentation, using embedded images and metadata analysis to confirm the presence of a real person, and deploying real-time challenge-response systems to detect fraudulent behavior.
“What is particularly alarming about this discovery is not only the sophisticated nature of the operation, but also the fact that individuals are willingly compromising their identities for short-term financial gain,” said Andrew Newell, Chief Scientific Officer at iProov.
“When people sell their identity documents and biometric data, they are not only putting their own financial security at risk – they are providing criminals with complete, authentic identity packages that can be used for sophisticated impersonation fraud.”
“These identities are particularly dangerous because they contain both real documents and matching biometric data, making them extremely difficult to detect through traditional authentication methods.”