The Dangers of Exposing Your Social Security Number on the Dark Web

With the rise of cybercrime and data breaches, protecting your personal information has never been more important. One piece of information that is highly sought after by criminals is your social security number. Once this number falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for identity theft, fraud, and various other malicious activities.

Review your financial and social security statements for suspicious charges or missing money. Use our free scan to see if any information about you and your accounts seems out of place, incorrect, or suspicious. We recommend that you regularly scan your details to see if your information has been breached or exposed.

When Should You Lock Your Social Security Number?

What is the Dark Web?

• ¹ The score you receive with Aura is provided for educational purposes to help you understand your credit.
• Google One now includes a dark web monitoring service that could help people protect themselves in case of a data breach.
• This is one reason why you’ll need to contact the IRS as soon as you can.
• If your SSN ends up on the dark web, you can become a prime candidate for attempted identity theft and fraud.
• I’ve already covered the infamous Equifax scandal at the beginning of this article.

On some dark web forums, cybercriminals can take classes on how to steal credit card data. Members of these forums also sell “fullz,” a slang term for full sets of people’s personal information. Although you can’t do anything about a data breach that might expose your Social Security number, it’s a good  idea to learn what you can do to protect yourself following a breach, and before a subsequent breach. No matter how big or small, no business or industry is immune to cyberthieves who may have identity theft in mind. The little drips of personal data leaked from every major data breach—your name, email, phone number, Social Security number, and mailing address—pool in a murky corner of the internet known as the dark web. Some of these leaks might seem relatively insignificant, but criminals exploit your personal data for profit and to help other criminal operations prosper.

What To Do If Your SSN Is Stolen

The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. It is often associated with illegal activities such as drug trafficking, weapon sales, and stolen data markets. This makes it a hotspot for criminals looking to buy and sell sensitive information like social security numbers.

How is my Social Security Number at Risk on the Dark Web?

When your social security number is exposed on the dark web, it can be bought and sold multiple times, making it nearly impossible to track down who has access to it. This can lead to:

How Can I Protect Myself Against SSN Theft?

• Identity theft
• Opening fraudulent accounts in your name
• Accessing your financial accounts
• Committing tax fraud

According to LogDog, online accounts have become a “hot commodity” on the underground web, but not always for the same reason. Uber accounts, for instance, are perfect for those who may want to take free rides and don’t want to pay much to do it—each account costs between $1 and $2. Netflix (NFLX) accounts, which also range in price from $1 to $2, are ideal for video-streamers. While obtaining Social Security numbers are useful for stealing identities, it appears they aren’t all that desirable to would-be fraudsters. Once accessed, the Dark Web presents a host of opportunities for hackers and thieves.

Check links you receive in email before opening them and providing sensitive information. For example, your bank will almost certainly never ask you to email them your account information and will never ask you to share passwords or a one-time passcode. A dark web scan indexes collections of stolen data and compares them to your established identity profile to see if your information has been compromised. It requires specialized skills and software, so you’ll probably need professional help. Some try hacking into accounts or using malware to capture passwords.

How can I Protect Myself?

Create a separate email address you can use for logging in to unimportant accounts. If one of these less important sites experiences a data breach, your primary email won’t be the one floating around on the Dark Web. Here are some of the cybercriminals’ favorite methods used to steal or expose personal data that is then sold via darknet sites. Instead, let us focus on staying informed about cybersecurity risks, maintaining strong online security practices, and promoting ethical behavior both on and off the internet. By doing so, we contribute to a safer and more secure digital environment for everyone.

To protect your social security number from ending up on the dark web, consider taking the following precautions:

1. Avoid sharing your social security number online unless absolutely necessary.
2. Use strong, unique passwords for all your accounts.

If your phone number is found on the dark web, you can register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce spam calls. If personal info such as your SSN, address, and date of birth are found on the dark web, someone else can use them to take out credit in your name. Your information could show up on the dark web for all sorts of reasons, many of them prior and unrelated to the Accellion breach. Experian provides information in each notification about the context of when your information was found, including a “Found On” date. Info on the dark web doesn’t show up in your run-of-the-mill search engines.

3. Monitor your credit report regularly for any suspicious activity.
4. Consider freezing your credit to prevent unauthorized access.
5. Be cautious of phishing emails and scams that may try to trick you into revealing personal information.

By being vigilant and proactive about safeguarding your social security number, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to identity theft and other cybercrimes on the dark web.