The Texas Department of Public Safety provides the “Identity Theft Brochure” only as a convenience. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENCY AND SUITABILITY OF ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. The Department does not endorse, guarantee or warrant any of the referenced commercial products or services and any mention of commercial products or services is for informational purposes only.
How To Protect Yourself From Personal Information Leaks On The Dark Web
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 not indexed by search engines. It is often associated with illegal activities, including the sale of personal information.
Why am I getting a dark web alert?
If you receive a dark web alert, it means your personal information was exposed, which can make it easier for others to open accounts in your name.
How Did My Phone Number End Up on the Dark Web?
What Is The Dark Web? What Do I Do If My Info Is On The Dark Web?
Dashlane is a subscription-based password manager and digital wallet application that offers security tools for both businesses and individuals. Hashcast uses hundreds of AI bots to monitor both public and private Internet channels. These bots search for credentials (paired email and password, or email and hash) from your business domain. This feature lets you identify all email addresses from a given domain that were compromised in a data breach.
There are a few ways that your phone number could have ended up on the dark web. One possibility is that your phone number was included in a data breach. Data breaches occur when hackers gain unauthorized access to a company’s database and steal sensitive information, such as phone numbers, email addresses, and credit card information. Once this information is stolen, it is often sold on the dark web.
How Do I Remove My Mobile Number From All Websites?
Another possibility is that your phone number was obtained through social engineering. Social engineering is a tactic used by hackers to manipulate individuals into giving up sensitive information. For example, a hacker might call you pretending to be from your phone company and ask for your phone number to verify your account. If you provide your phone number, the hacker can then sell it on the dark web.
What Should I Do If My Phone Number Is Found on the Dark Web?
What Does It Mean If Your Phone Number Is Found On The Dark Web
If you discover that your phone number is being sold on the dark web, there are a few steps you should take to protect yourself:
- Change your passwords: If your phone number was obtained through a data breach, it is possible that other sensitive information, such as your email address or password, was also stolen. Change your passwords for all of your online accounts to prevent hackers from gaining access.
- Contact your phone company: If you suspect that your phone number was obtained through social engineering, contact your phone company to let them know. They can help you secure your account and prevent further unauthorized access.
- Monitor your accounts: Keep a close eye on your bank and credit card accounts for any suspicious activity. If you notice any unauthorized charges, report them to your bank or credit card company immediately.
Within the Dark Web, there are various marketplaces, forums, and websites that cater to illegal activities, such as the sale of drugs, weapons, stolen data, and even hiring hackers for criminal activities. It is a haven for cybercriminals, making it a breeding ground for cyberattacks and identity theft. This extra layer of security double-checks your identity when signing into an online account. You enter your password as usual and a unique six-digit, one-time code is sent to a trusted device via text. This added step can help improve the security of your personal information. Through December 2023, you can get a free credit report every week from each of them at the website.
- I know my data hadn’t been revealed in earlier releases because I’d checked then.
- Imagine you open your mail to find a credit card bill with thousands of dollars of mysterious charges.
- Adding MFA can help keep others out of your account even if your username and password are leaked on the dark web.
- Black markets like the now-defunct Silk Road allow people to use untraceable cryptocurrencies to buy virtually any type of illegal commodity.
Conclusion
Should I change my phone number if a scammer has it?
If you've recently been the victim of identity theft, then changing your phone number is one of the optimum ways to protect yourself from repeated identity theft. There are also various software services and tools that can protect you from repeated identity theft.
The results include public Twitter profile data, such as names, usernames, and follower counts. While trolling through the dark web this week, I found my Twitter account’s data. Meanwhile, Immuniweb’s full-time security experts handle the most complicated tasks—tasks that require nothing less than human intelligence.
Finding out that your phone number is being sold on the dark web can be unsettling, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself. By changing your passwords, contacting your phone company, and monitoring your accounts, you can minimize the risk of falling victim to identity theft or other forms of fraud.
What does it mean when someone is on the dark web?
The dark web pulls up sites using information that isn't indexed online, such as bank accounts, email accounts, and databases. 3. People who use the dark web can maintain their privacy and freely express their views. 1. It also has a reputation for being associated with illicit and unethical activities.
