Dark Web Social Security Number

All plans offer access to 28 versions of your FICO score, including scores for credit cards, mortgages and auto loans. Plus you’ll receive $1 million identity theft insurance and 24/7 access to U.S.-based identity theft experts who can help restore your identity if your information is compromised. Aura is an all-in-one service, offering identity theft monitoring, credit monitoring, and preventative measures like antivirus software and a VPN. The company keeps a close eye on the dark web, and it searches for data breaches from companies you do business with.

The problem with making it easy for bad actors to access a partial SSN is that those four digits provide a gateway for attackers to take over other services and devices. Lucky225 contacted CyberScoop after identifying three additional clients using the same function — two healthcare companies and a state health agency’s vaccination verification system. It doesn’t matter how secure you’ve been with the rest of your sensitive information. If a scammer gets access to your Social Security number, they’ll have all they need to ruin your credit and even reputation.

How to prevent identity theft

Mark Knowles is a freelance content marketing writer specializing in articles, e-books, and whitepapers on cybersecurity, automation, and artificial intelligence. Mark has experience creating fresh content, engaging audiences, and establishing thought leadership for many top tech companies. Only share personal information with proven and trusted sources via phone, mail, or the internet. Opt out of receiving prescreened credit offers at optoutprescreen.com. Even though the dark web has an unsavory reputation due to illicit activity, it does provide value for legal uses like promoting free speech and is legal for anyone to access.

• Lots of identity theft companies monitor the dark web to make sure no one is trafficking your PII .
• We find out about breached information when it is traded or sold on the dark web or online.
• Call your bank immediately and report and dispute fraudulent charges, cancel your card, and request a new one.
• Honest pioneers build upstanding communities, yet there’s lots of room for criminals to roam free!
• Obviously this can help alert you to trouble, plus it lets you know when it’s best to apply for more credit.

If you know where a scammer used your SSN — such as with your bank or a company — contact them directly. Make sure you have other documentation to prove your identity and stop the thief from continuing to use your information. While some parts of your identity can be monitored manually, there’s no easy way to “check” if someone else is using your Social Security number. Commit synthetic identity theft, where they combine your SSN with other information to create a “fake” identity. Shred any documents that include your SSN or other personally identifiable information before you dispose of them.

This lets you respond to potential cases of identity theft immediately. Even if you could remove your information from one dark web location, there is no guarantee that it hasn’t been copied or posted on other sites. Instead of removing information that has been compromised, focus on changing passwords, notifying your credit card companies and ensuring the stolen data becomes irrelevant. Few things cause anxiety like finding out that your personal details have been exposed in a data breach and may be available on the dark web.

Best Dark Web Websites

Lots of identity theft companies monitor the dark web to make sure no one is trafficking your PII . It isn’t just looking PII like your Social Security number and birthdate. It’s also scanning constantly for information about your bank accounts, credit cards, and property titles. Someone can use your SSN to open accounts in your name, including credit cards or bank accounts. Then, they can abuse these accounts as they wish, racking up debt or letting bills go unpaid.

†To get the benefits of a Tally line of credit, you must qualify for and accept a Tally line of credit. The APR will be between 7.90% and 29.99% per year and will be based on your credit history. The Social Security Administration also allows you to lock your SSN.

Place or manage a freeze to restrict access to your Equifax credit report, with certain exceptions. Chase’s website and/or mobile terms, privacy and security policies don’t apply to the site or app you’re about to visit. Please review its terms, privacy and security policies to see how they apply to you. Chase isn’t responsible for (and doesn’t provide) any products, services or content at this third-party site or app, except for products and services that explicitly carry the Chase name.

Whats Dark Web

If you get a dark web alert, you might need to change your passwords, get new account numbers from your bank or credit card issuer or place a fraud alert on your credit report. If you find unusual activity on any of your credit reports, contact the company that issued your card or loan and explain that you have been the victim of identity theft. You should also contact the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, to file an identity theft report.

When you click on the “Apply Now” button, you can review the credit card terms and conditions on the issuer’s web site. The credit report terms “high balance” and “high credit” represent the highest balance or highest amount of credit ever used on your credit card. Let’s explore how lenders use this information and how it affects your credit. You also might want to notify local police if you are a victim to fraud, Breyault says, especially if your actual credit card was stolen.

Signs that your SSN is on the dark web

Be sure to visit to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each credit reporting company. Your Discover card has a $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee, so you’re never held responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover card account. We monitor every purchase, every day and alert you of any suspicious transactions by email, text or phone call. If you become the victim of identity theft, consult helpful resources like Link Identity Theft government site Your fraud alerts keep you in the know about activity on your Discover Card account.

Beware of phishing scams trying to trick you into revealing personal information. Identity theft happens when a person illegally uses your personal information to commit fraud. Someone illegally using your SSN and assuming your identity can cause a lot of problems. We are committed to preventing, detecting, and eliminating fraud in our programs. It’s necessary for you and your loved ones to always stay vigilant and know how to protect yourself from Social Security-related fraud.

Aura monitors any and all attempts to verify your identity across the entire web. Check out this page for the full details on each Identity Guard plan. Identity Guard offers three-tiered pricing, with options for both individuals and families. Dark web scanners use your personal information , to scan the dark web for any matches. Most scanners begin by scouring illicit marketplaces or forums that lack sophisticated privacy safeguards.