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Last Updated on October 23, 2022 by Chris Panteli
How To Make Money On The Deep Web
Millions of people make money online every day. Blogging, YouTube channels, and eCommerce stores are popular ways to earn money online.
However, the internet you use every day isn’t the only version available.
Another internet exists that allows users to stay completely anonymous. The deep web is a way of accessing the internet without revealing your identity.
Knowing how to make money on the deep web means you can have more earning opportunities. However, you must be careful as fraudsters, and other cybercriminals use the anonymity of the dark web marketplace for illegal activity. That includes trying to steal your personal information.
In this post, you’ll not only learn how to make extra money on the deep web legally. You’ll also learn about the illegal activity that goes on. That way, you can keep your personal data safe and avoid getting in trouble with law enforcement agencies.
What Is The Deep Web
The dark or deep web is made up of hidden websites. To access a dark web site, you need to download a dark web browser. The best known is The Onion Router (TOR). The TOR browser was created by the US military in the 90s to use for secure communications. Today, the TOR browser is widely used by anyone wanting secure access to the deep web.
Please note there is a subtle difference between the deep web and the dark web. The deep web is for sites that are unindexed and can’t be found using a search engine. The dark web is part of the deep web and contains hidden sites that are often anonymous. To access either, you need to download the right tools.
Once you’ve accessed the TOR network, you must learn how to find each dark website.
You can’t use a search engine to find a dark website. Plus, who hosts and owns sites is kept secret. Even users of sites will use fake names to keep their personal information safe.
Total anonymity is the key appeal of the dark web. Although the dark web can be beneficial, especially in countries where internet use is heavily monitored, it’s often used by criminals to further their criminal activity.
When using the dark web, you must be vigilant. Otherwise, you could stray onto an illegal site or lose your personal data to fraudsters.
How To Get To The Dark Web
If you want to access the dark web, you should download a TOR browser first. It’s recommended that you also use a secure VPN as well to ensure total protection.
Many sites on the dark web are operated by criminals. That means you must be extremely careful before entering any details.
Please be careful when searching the TOR network or any other darknet markets. You could stumble upon disturbing content if you’re not careful. Only visit sites you know are safe.
How To Find Sites On The Deep Web
On the surface web, you probably use a search engine like Google to find what you need. Any searches on the surface web bring back hundreds of results relating to your search term.
To find websites on the TOR network (or any other darknet), you need to download a special search engine. You can also use sites like The Hidden Wiki that list all active darknet sites you can visit.
How To Make Money On The Deep Web Legally
Now you know what the deep web is, it’s time to learn how to make money on the deep web. Legally.
Even making a small amount of extra money can be a big boost to your budget. Before you start making extra money on the deep web, you must ensure your cybersecurity is as strong as possible. That’s because fraudsters may target your site to try and steal your personal information.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is simple. You join an affiliate program, share your affiliate link, and get paid every time your link is used for purchase.
You can start affiliate marketing on the deep web. You may only make a small amount of money, but you can combine this with other activities to boost your income. Joining Google AdSense or selling digital goods are 2 ways to make more money from your affiliate site.
Become An Ethical Hacker
Hacking is often associated with criminal activity, but you can legally make money online from ethical hacking.
Ethical hacking means you’ve been hired to make a cyber attack. Companies often use ethical hacking to test how robust their systems are against a cyber attack. If you have the skills, you can offer your cybersecurity services as an ethical hacker.
Build A Forum And Charge A Membership Fee
One way to make money on the surface web is to build a forum and charge a membership fee. You can do this on the deep web too.
First, you must build a forum and decide what it will be about. It could be for trading legal items, topical discussion, or something else.
Once you’ve built your forum, you can charge all members. Or you can have a tiered membership. Basic members get restricted access to the forum. Premium members pay a fee and get full access.
Sell Photos Of Yourself
You can sell photos of yourself just as well on the dark web as you can on the surface web. If you’re comfortable selling photos of yourself, you can make extra cash. These could be feet pics or anything else you’re comfortable selling pics of.
To sell photos of yourself, you’ll have to find a dark web marketplace. Selling photos on a dark web marketplace is one way to make quick money when you need it.
Start An eCommerce Store
Starting an eCommerce store on the dark web is one way to make money. You can sell digital goods or physical products. You may need to make a small investment to get your site started. That small investment is worth it once you start selling digital goods and you start making money.
However, selling on the dark web does have one problem. Darknet markets won’t be found by traditional methods. There are no search engine results that will bring back your online store.
The only way to get customers is by direct marketing. You’ll need to contact people and give them your site address. That way, they can visit and make purchases.
How Do You Get Paid On The Dark Web
Fraud is a worry when using the dark web. Most users are anonymous, so sharing your bank account or credit card number is not recommended.
Darknet markets rely on cryptocurrency to make secure transactions. Cryptocurrency allows both parties to remain anonymous and reduces the risk of fraud. You can sell crypto and put the cash into your bank account once the transaction is complete.
If you’re happy, you can accept other payment methods. You could ask for a gift card or cash. However, this does expose you to a higher chance of fraud. Stolen identities are big business on the dark web.
Illegal Ways People Make Money On The Dark Web You Should Avoid
The anonymity provided by the dark web market means cybercriminals often get away with their crimes. Yet cybercriminals don’t get away with everything. Law enforcement agencies worldwide work tirelessly to try and catch all criminals, including those that operate on the deep web.
Criminals involved in money laundering, identity theft, selling illegal drugs, and trading stolen credit cards are regularly caught.
If you visit the dark web, you should know about the criminal activity that goes on.
Hacker For Hire
Hackers may be rogue individuals or work for hostile governments. Blackhat hackers target financial institutions, businesses, and governments, hoping to cause chaos.
Malware attacks, sometimes called Ransomware, are also becoming more common. This is when a hacker takes control of a device and refuses to unlock it until a ransom fee is paid. Even global businesses with the best cybersecurity available can fall victim to these malware attacks.
Betting On Fixed Games
Gambling is a risky business at the best of times. To get around this, some people use the dark web market to find fixed games to bet on.
Usually, a fixer will have a team or athlete lined up to lose a game. Gamblers give the fixer an amount of money with the promise of a return. This can be as high as 50%, meaning a $20,000 bet could return you $30,000.
A small investor may hope to make quick money. Interestingly, betting on fixed games isn’t totally risk-free. Some athletes change their minds meaning the game plays out honestly. If the result doesn’t go as expected, you lose your money.
Selling Contraband
The dark web is popular with criminals selling contraband. They have almost total anonymity, and thanks to using cryptocurrency, even financial transactions are practically untraceable.
Illegal goods often sold on the dark web include:
- Illegal drugs
- Stolen data
- Weapons
- Bank account numbers
- Stolen credit card numbers
- Illegal goods
- Stolen identities
Selling Your Own Identity
If your identity is trustworthy, then it can be sold. Hackers and other criminals need clean identities as it helps them evade detection. A good credit score, no criminal history, and an otherwise clean record mean your identity is a lot more valuable than stolen data.
Your identity is only valuable for a short time. Once criminals have started using it, you’ll quickly find it becomes worthless as crimes like money laundering, debts, and more get linked.
Anyone looking for quick money may choose to sell their own identity.
Theft-on-Demand
Almost anything you can think of can be ordered online. Groceries, new clothes, holidays, and much more can be bought at the click of a button.
Thanks to the dark web, you can also buy a thief online.
Theft on demand involves hiring a thief to steal an item for you. The most common theft is asking for high-value electronics. You pay the thief a percentage of the value and save a small amount.
Trading Or Selling Confidential Data
Identity theft is not a joke. Millions of families suffer every year. Selling stolen identities is one of the most common criminal activities on the dark web. Information like credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal data are all bought and sold by users of the dark web.
FAQs
Can I use the dark web legally?
Yes. The dark web is legal to use in the US. Other countries have different laws, and many restrict internet access. That’s why the dark web is important, as it allows everyone internet access without fear of government reprisals.
Criminal activity on the dark web or anywhere else is targeted by law enforcement agencies. Although the dark web is anonymous, authorities work tirelessly to identify criminal users.
Is it easy to make money on the dark web?
Making money on the dark web isn’t easy at first. You’ll need a VPN, a TOR browser, and an understanding of how to find hidden sites. Once you’ve mastered that, you can make money from the dark web market.
Should I use a VPN when on the dark web?
It’s recommended to use a VPN when visiting the dark web. Even though you aren’t engaged in illegal activity, many other users are. A VPN gives you extra protection against anyone trying to steal your data or make a malware attack.
Can you access social media on the deep web?
Yes, social media sites, including Facebook, can be found on the deep web. This is one of the positives of the dark web, as residents of countries that restrict internet access can still visit social media to communicate with the outside world.
What illegal stuff will I find on the dark web?
To find illegal stuff, you must go looking for it. It won’t appear in searches as the dark web doesn’t work that way. You might find it accidentally if you enter the wrong address when searching. If you do, exit immediately as you don’t want to be linked to criminal activity.
Every crime you can think of is available on the dark web. Money laundering, selling illegal goods, identity theft, selling stolen credit cards or stolen data, and arranging a cyber attack are common criminal activities available on the dark web.
