Protecting your passport: How to avoid stolen travel documents on holiday.

Stolen travel documents: How to protect yourself when booking vacations online

International travel is back in full swing, but with it comes a rising threat that too many holidaymakers overlook cybercriminals targeting your most sensitive travel documents. Recent joint research by NordVPN and Saily has exposed an alarming dark web marketplace where everything from scanned passports to airline loyalty accounts is traded for profit. The findings are clear: if you book trips online without taking security precautions, your dream getaway could come with a nightmare of identity theft.

The dark web’s lucrative trade in stolen travel documents

According to the research, scanned passports from around the world are sold for as little as US$10, while verified European Union passports can fetch over US$5,000. The underground market is not limited to passports fake bank statements, stolen visa stickers, and hacked airline loyalty accounts containing millions of miles are also up for grabs, often for hundreds of dollars. Even legitimate travel bookings, such as Booking.com reservations, are being resold at steep discounts, sometimes exceeding US$250.

These numbers highlight just how valuable travel data has become to cybercriminals. As Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN, explains, “The staggering prices we’re seeing on the dark web show just how valuable and vulnerable travellers’ personal information has become.”

How cybercriminals steal your travel data

There is nothing particularly sophisticated about the ways cybercriminals obtain stolen travel documents. The joint NordVPN and Saily research found that most theft occurs through one of four common methods:

Malware on personal devices that scans storage drives and cloud folders for sensitive files like passport scans, visa documents, and boarding passes.
Data breaches at airlines, visa processing services, or travel agencies that leak passenger information in bulk.
Phishing websites masquerading as legitimate check-in portals, visa application platforms, or hotel booking sites to trick users into uploading identification.
Physical document mishandling, where discarded boarding passes or lost passports are collected and resold.

Saily’s CEO Vykintas Maknickas warns that criminals are now using AI-powered phishing scams to increase their success rates. Fake check-in platforms requesting selfies with ID documents, fraudulent airport lounge registration pages, and spoofed public Wi-Fi log-in screens are becoming almost indistinguishable from genuine ones.

Why stolen travel documents are so dangerous

Unlike stolen credit card details, which can be cancelled, a stolen travel document can enable criminals to commit a range of long-term frauds. A passport scan paired with a selfie is often all that’s needed to verify identity on many online platforms. Criminals can even use deepfake technology to bypass visual checks.

When a passport or visa copy is stolen, it often comes with full personal details name, date of birth, passport number, email address, and phone number. This data can be used to:

Commit identity theft by opening bank accounts, applying for credit, or renting property under your name.
Launch targeted phishing attacks against you or your contacts, making them appear highly convincing.
Create synthetic identities that mix your personal data with fabricated details for criminal use.

As Briedis explains, “Travel documents are a goldmine for hackers because they offer direct access to your identity with minimal barriers.”

Practical steps to protect your travel documents

The good news is that travellers can take practical measures to prevent their travel data from falling into the wrong hands. The NordVPN and Saily report recommends a multi-layered approach that combines secure digital storage, online browsing protection, and behavioural awareness.

Store documents securely

Never keep passport scans or travel documents in publicly accessible cloud folders. Instead, store them in encrypted digital vaults or password-protected local storage. Both NordVPN and Saily recommend ensuring that cloud backups are set to private, with sharing links disabled.

Verify all URLs before entering data

Before you upload your passport to any site, check the web address carefully. Cybercriminals often register domains that closely resemble official ones, swapping letters or adding small variations to mislead users. When in doubt, navigate to the official site manually rather than following email links.

Maintain scepticism with online requests

If a site or email unexpectedly asks for a document upload or personal information, stop and verify through another channel. This could mean calling the airline, checking your booking on the official platform, or contacting the relevant visa office directly.

How NordVPN helps keep travellers safe

NordVPN is one of the world’s most widely used privacy tools, and its features are tailored for protecting sensitive information while travelling.

Threat Protection Pro™ blocks access to malicious websites, trackers, and phishing portals. It also scans downloads to prevent malware from infecting devices.
VPN encryption ensures that all internet traffic including uploads of sensitive travel documents is protected from interception on public Wi-Fi networks.
Dedicated IP and Double VPN features allow an extra layer of identity protection when accessing accounts abroad, making it harder for cybercriminals to monitor activity.

By using NordVPN whenever you connect to the internet while travelling especially at airports, hotels, and cafes you greatly reduce the risk of exposing your personal details.

How Saily protects travellers on the move

Saily, developed by Nord Security, is a travel eSIM service that provides secure, global mobile connectivity. By avoiding insecure public Wi-Fi networks entirely and relying on mobile data, travellers eliminate one of the biggest attack vectors for stolen travel documents.

With Saily, you can:

Stay connected in over 160 locations without swapping SIM cards or joining public Wi-Fi.
Access travel bookings, banking services, and personal communications through a private, encrypted connection.
Use mobile data for all document uploads, ensuring they are not exposed to malicious network operators.

As Maknickas explains, “The safest way to avoid Wi-Fi-based attacks is to skip public networks altogether and use a trusted mobile data connection.”

Monitoring and responding to travel document theft

Even with strong precautions, it is possible for travel documents to be compromised through no fault of your own, especially if they are stolen in a mass data breach. To limit the damage:

Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on bank accounts, credit cards, and loyalty programmes for suspicious activity.
Report losses immediately: If a passport or visa is lost or stolen, notify the issuing authority as soon as possible so it can be invalidated.
Check dark web monitoring tools: Services like NordVPN’s NordStellar can scan underground marketplaces for your personal data and alert you if it appears for sale.

The importance of digital vigilance in travel

As the global travel industry grows, so does the dark web’s appetite for personal information. The ease with which criminals can obtain, sell, and exploit stolen travel documents means that travellers must take their digital safety as seriously as their physical safety.

While it may be impossible to eliminate all risk, combining secure connectivity through NordVPN, safe mobile internet via Saily, and a healthy dose of online scepticism can make it significantly harder for cybercriminals to profit from your holiday plans.

Your vacation should be about making memories, not recovering from identity theft. Protect your travel documents before you book, while you travel, and after you return because once your passport ends up for sale online, the damage can be far-reaching and long-lasting.

____________________