Famous Stolen Identity Cases On The Dark Web

Use A Unique Password For Each Account

• The items sold on the dark web could harm the public or private businesses, as malicious and illegal actors are often the buyers and sellers.
• The criminal enterprises charge is a 20-year felony, each identity theft charge is a five-year felony, each computer charge is a seven-year felony, and each welfare fraud charge is a four-year felony.
• Your social security number is too important to fall into the hands of cybercriminals.
• Businesses should prepare an incident response plan for a cyber incident involving the dark web.

This information allows them to open new credit cards, access healthcare perks, apply for mortgages, and file phony taxes. For the most part, the requesting parties will use your social security number as an easy way to ID their customers, not because they actually need it. Yet in practice, this means that all these businesses and organizations have people’s most sensitive data stored on their servers, even though in the vast majority of cases it’s totally unnecessary. Consequently, if any of these organizations or businesses get hacked, social security numbers are the very first thing hackers will go after. You may be thinking, how can someone open a new credit card in my child’s name when they have no established credit? Synthetic identity theft can occur when a criminal combines an innocent child’s real Social Security number with a fake name, address, and other personally identifiable information (PII) to create a new identity.

What Is An Identity Monitoring Service?

Sometimes the fraudulent website or email address will differ from the original by a single character. You can create a myEquifax account to place a fraud alert and security freeze on your Equifax credit report. Dewan Anton Williams, 47, of Detroit, is accused of going onto the dark web to purchase the social security numbers of identity theft victims. Officials said they later found personal information from about 7,000 people at Williams’ home.

Dark Web Social Security Number: What You Need to Know

Emily Wilson, VP of research at cybersecurity firm Terbium Labs first alerted Motherboard to the data listings. If your SSN was found on the Dark Web, scammers could use it to steal your identity, money, and more. Identity Guard has helped protect more than 38 million Americans from identity theft. And if the worst should happen, you’ll have access to 24/7 support from Identity Guard’s U.S.-based Customer Care team as well as $1 million in insurance coverage for eligible losses due to identity theft.

The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard web browsers. It is wall street market darknet down is often associated with illegal activities, including the sale of personal information such as social security numbers.

The purpose of this guide is to provide an understanding of the general process, but it is strongly discouraged to participate in any illicit transactions or use stolen personal information. Despite its intended use for official purposes, an SSN is unfortunately highly sought after by criminals due to the potential for identity theft and financial fraud. It holds considerable value on the Dark Web and black markets, where it can be bought and sold for illegal activities. If you attempt to research your own information personally by venturing into the dark web, you could be tricked into interacting with hackers and exposing your identity further. A better solution is to use professionals to monitor the dark web for you and alert you when your information is exposed, sold, or used so you can take preventative measures to fix the problem. Even if they may not be able to really do anything about it, children are not immune to identity theft.

Encrypted cloud storage services like Google Drive, OneNote, iCloud, and Dropbox are also great options and allow for easy access. To get a true understanding of why it’s so important to make sure when were darknet markets invented that your social security number never falls into the wrong hands, let’s start from the beginning. A social security number is a nine-digit number issued by the government to all U.S. citizens.

How Does a Social Security Number End Up on the Dark Web?

There are a number of ways that a social security number can end up on the dark web. One common method is through data breaches, where hackers gain access to large databases containing personal information. Another way is through phishing scams, where individuals are tricked into providing their personal information to fraudulent websites or emails.

What Are the Risks of Having Your Social Security Number on the Dark Web?

Having your social security number on the dark web puts you at risk for identity theft and financial fraud. Criminals can use your social security number to open new credit accounts, take out loans, and even file tax returns in your name. This can result in damage to your credit score, financial losses, and legal issues.

How Can You Protect Your Social Security Number from the Dark Web?

• Be cautious of phishing scams and never provide your personal dark market links information in response to unsolicited emails or messages.
• Use strong, unique passwords for all of your online accounts and consider using a password manager to keep track of them.
• Regularly monitor your credit reports and financial accounts for any suspicious activity.
• Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports, which will require lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name.

What to Do If Your Social Security Number Is Already on the Dark Web

If you suspect that your social security number is already on the dark web, there are a few steps you should take:

• Contact the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and place a fraud alert on your credit reports.
• Consider freezing your credit reports to prevent anyone from opening new accounts in your name.
• File a police report and consider contacting the Federal Cocorico link Trade Commission (FTC) to report the identity theft.
• Monitor your credit reports and financial accounts closely for any suspicious activity.

FAQs

What is the dark web?

The dark web is a part of the internet that is intentionally hidden and is inaccessible through standard web browsers. It is often associated with illegal activities, including the sale of personal information such as social security numbers.

How can I protect my social security number from the dark web?

You can protect your social security number from the dark web by being cautious of phishing scams, using strong, unique passwords, regularly monitoring your credit reports and financial accounts, and considering placing a fraud alert on your credit reports.

What should I do if my social security number is already on the dark web?

If you suspect that your social security number is already on the dark web, you should contact the three major credit bureaus and place a fraud alert on your credit reports, consider freezing your credit reports, file a police report, and monitor your credit reports and financial accounts closely for any suspicious activity.