Clarkâs Take On What You Should Do If Your Social Security Number Is On The Dark Web
You might be wondering how your phone number ended up on the dark web in the first place. It could be through data breaches, where hackers gain unauthorized access to databases containing personal information. Alternatively, it could be due to a third party’s misuse or unauthorized sharing of your phone number.
- The part above the water is the âsurface web,â where you can find webpages using search engines such as Google or Bing.
- One alarming discovery that internet users have made is the presence of their phone numbers on the Dark Web.
- SIM swapping occurs when hackers take over your phone number by tricking your phone provider into rerouting your number to their device.
- If you want to remove yourself from a group text on your iPhone without notifying other members, there are a few ways to do it.
Discovering that your phone number has been found on the dark web can be alarming. The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is often associated with illegal activities. It’s important to take action if you find your phone number on the dark web to protect yourself from potential harm.
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What is the Dark Web?
Deposit products and related services are offered by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Make purchases with your debit card, and bank from almost anywhere by phone, tablet or computer and more than 15,000 ATMs and more than 4,700 branches. Itâs also good practice to keep an eye on your credit report so that you can spot and report any errors or accounts someone is trying to open in your name. In case you see this, my research – and experience – show you do NOT need to pay to freeze and unfreeze your credit. I’m not sure about passcodes – if you meant to your accounts probably – but that’s a different issue.
What To I Do If My Information Is On The Dark Web?
The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires special software to access. It’s often used for illegal activities such as buying and selling drugs, weapons, and stolen personal information. The dark web is a dangerous place, and it’s important to take steps to protect yourself if you find your phone number there.
Should I be worried if my SSN is on the dark web?
If your SSN ends up on the dark web, you can become a prime candidate for attempted identity theft and fraud. Scammers can purchase your SSN on the dark web and use it to open new accounts and credit cards, apply for loans, activate medical insurance, or claim benefits in your name.
It is a scary realization, but your digital identity might be up for grabs to the highest bidder on the dark web. If you suspect you are dealing with a scam call, it is best to hang up the phone and double-check if the organization making the call has that number as its contact number on its website. Many cyber security specialists recommend it is best just to hang up the phone and not say anything if there is a suspicion of a scam. Last, if the caller has poor English, you are more likely at risk of being scammed because a significant number of these calls are made from abroad. Scammers can also pretend to be the IT help-desk for a well-known brand and ask to gain access to your device remotely to protect you from imminent danger. For example, they can pretend to be a pension provider and tell you that they will release your pension funds early if you pay them a certain amount.
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How Did My Phone Number End Up on the Dark Web?
The Dark Web is where people carry out illegal activities online, such as selling weapons or drugs, child and women trafficking, and many more. Criminals can steal and use your personal information, such as your phone number, for illegal activities online. He hopes they can foster more tools that allow untraceable, private communication, like Ricochet and the Tor-based filesharing application Onionshare. “Itâs these things that are using hidden services as a building block that are going to get far stronger, with much more privacy than they had before,” says Mathewson. âThere are a lot of people who have signed up for monitoring services, and some services can detect things on the dark web and will send alerts to people,â said Slaughter. All Google One plans already come with more storage to keep your files, photos and videos safely backed up.
There are several ways your phone number could have ended up on the dark web. One common way is through data breaches. Hackers can gain access to personal information, including phone numbers, by hacking into databases of companies and organizations. Another way is through social engineering attacks, where hackers trick people into giving up their personal information.
What Should I Do if My Phone Number is Found on the Dark Web?
If you find your phone number on the dark web, there are several steps you should take to protect yourself:
- Change your passwords: Change the passwords for all of your online accounts, especially those associated with your phone number.
- Contact your phone provider: Let your phone provider know that your phone number has been found on the dark web. They can take steps to protect your account and monitor for any suspicious activity.
- Monitor your credit reports: Keep an eye on your credit reports for any unusual activity. If you see anything suspicious, contact the credit bureau and your bank immediately.
- Consider using a virtual private network (VPN): A VPN can help protect your online privacy by encrypting your internet connection and hiding your IP address.
In response to the UC Accellion Data Breach, many of you signed up for the Experian IndentityWorks credit monitoring service. As a result, you might have received notifications from Experian that your information (social security number, credit card numbers, email address, etc.) was found on the dark web. The dark web is where sites illegally sell consumer data and other black market goods – donât go there. Even the best identity theft protection canât prevent every data leak. A monitoring service will notify you if your social security number, credit card number or other sensitive information has appeared on the dark web.
Conclusion
Finding your phone number on the dark web can be a scary experience, but it’s important to take action to protect yourself. By changing your passwords, contacting your phone provider, monitoring your credit reports, and considering using a VPN, you can help keep your personal information safe.
What if my SSN was found on the dark web?
Inform the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that your SSN has been found on the Dark Web and ask to file an identity theft report. Even if your information hasn't been used maliciously yet, filing a formal claim with the FTC can help you if you need to dispute fraudulent charges, accounts, or crimes.