What To Do If Your Social Security Number Is On The Dark Web

In 2015, an analyst who worked on Verizon's data breach told NPR that he believed 60% to 80% of Social Security numbers are already on the Dark Web. This claim was even before the 2017 Equifax breach, which affected about 148 million people.

Even though the theft of Social Security numbers is common, the authorities may not give you a new number even if you can prove it has been compromised. If you are lucky enough to get a new number after proving that you are experiencing grave issues because of theft, using the new one could also be troublesome.

Thus, it is very important that you stay vigilant. If hackers get to your Social Security number, it is important that you are aware of what you need to do next to minimize the damage.

The first thing that you need to do is not to panic. Remember, not every Social Security number compromised in a data breach ends up being victimized.

If you are a high net-worth person or work in a place that might be of interest to hackers, you may be targeted. Most of us doesn't need to worry much as hackers may target us only by chance.

This in no way means that you mustn't be careful. You can use simple measures to prevent hackers from exploiting your Social Security number.

Your primary intent in creating a mySocial Security account is to claim your Social Security number. Also, it will ward off anyone else from creating an account in your name. It is recommended that you keep an eye on your Social Security Statement to make sure all your details are accurate.

You can consider placing a free credit freeze to prevent hackers from using your Social Security number to get new credit cards or take out loans.

You need to report the theft of your Social Security number to the IRS at IdentityTheft or call 1-800-908-4490.

If your Social Security number is on the Dark Web, it is possible that one of your online account's security was compromised. Thus, it would be a good idea to change the passwords of your online accounts. Use two-factor authentication to boost the security of your online accounts, or even use a password manager to create strong credentials.

The Social Security Administration's (SSA) myE-Verify website lists your current and previous jobs. You can use the same website to“lock” your SSN to prevent scammers from using it to get employment in your name.

Not everyone can access the dark web as it is accessible only through special browsers. Moreover, the dark web is encrypted, anonymous, and hidden from most average users. There are, however, a few ways that can help you to know if your Social Security number is on the dark web.

If you come across any data breach, you can use a free Dark Web scanner to see if your sensitive information is involved or not. Although a free scanner won't check your SSN, it will be able to tell if your email was found in any recent data breach. After this you can use a quick Google search to learn about the sensitive information that may have been stolen in the breach.

An SSN monitoring service will scan the dark web, public forums, and data brokers for your Social Security number. The service will alert you if it finds your SSN in its scan.

Take seriously any data breach notifications from a company to which you submitted your personal information, even if the notification is regarding the breach of your email or phone number.

You need to regularly check your bank and credit card accounts, and if you find anything suspicious, act quickly. You can sign up for transaction monitoring alerts. Your financial services institutions will send you an alert if there is any suspicious activity in your bank and credit card accounts.

The free credit report, including from annualcreditreport will help you to check for any unwanted charges or transactions.

This measure is extremely important. Make sure you have a free fraud alert on your credit accounts from one of the three key credit agencies: Experian, TransUnion or Equifax.

If anyone uses your Social Security number for employment or tax fraud, you will likely receive notice from the IRS about unreported income. Report any such suspicious activity to the IRS quickly.

It is almost impossible to remove anything on the dark web. So, rather than focusing on removing your SSN from the dark web, try to find out what details have been compromised, such as your contact number, credit card details, mailing address and more. This will help you to minimize the damages.

Knowing your personal information is on the Dark Web is definitely scary, but staying informed and not panicking is your best defense. The key is to be proactive and take appropriate measures to reduce the chances of hackers exploiting your crucial information.

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