For many of us, we do not often encounter the dark web and do not think about it frequently. Unfortunately, it is important to stay aware of the dark web because it may contain some of your personal information, probably illegally obtained. If you are unsure whether your identity is on the dark web, there are ways to find out, which we will be delving into in the text below. Identity theft can be financially and emotionally draining and is difficult to recover from. Use these tips to discover if your information is floating around on the dark web.

Check for Obvious Signs of Identity Theft

One of the most obvious signs of identity theft is when you try to file your income tax with the IRS and find that someone else has already filed under your name. This means that someone is posing as you and has stolen your SSN, most likely as an attempt to collect your tax refund.

Another sign of identity theft is when you receive bills in the mail for strange medical procedures. You may also get notices indicating that you have maxed out your benefit limit. This could mean that someone has your Social Security number or health insurance information and is using it for their personal objectives. This can be very detrimental to you, particularly if you need to use your insurance for a medical emergency at the same time. If the identity theft issue is still in limbo, you might have to pay the medical bill out of pocket.

Perform a Dark Web Scan

Many third-party companies offer dark web scans to businesses and individuals. These scans are beneficial because they comb through the countless number of dark web databases in a search for anything related to you. Some companies will offer free dark web scans to first-time customers. Typically, the scans are searching for any of the following information:

  • SSNs
  • Usernames
  • Passwords
  • Credit or debit card numbers
  • Driver’s license
  • Medical insurance or records
  • Passport
  • Phone number

If anything gets uncovered during this scan, you will receive an alert. At this point, you can work on mitigating the damage and changing all your records or information that were victims of the breach.

Conduct a Background Check

Most people are unaware of exactly how much of their private life is available online for the world to see. Even if you post a simple update on social media, it can spread all over the internet very quickly. To see what information about yourself is accessible online, you can run a personal background check.

Putting your name into a background check tool will help you see where your name and confidential information is popping up on the web. You will receive a report showing the details, and you can take steps to remove it or block all your old accounts. Keep in mind that you will need a background check service that has experience with searching the dark web, which is something that not all of them offer.

Even if you do not find any of your personal information on the dark web, the background check may still be beneficial to you. You will be able to see everything that prospective employers see if they run a search on your name when you interview for a job. If anything shows up that is inaccurate, you can undergo steps to correct it.

Enroll in Dark Web Monitoring Services

Like a dark web scan, you can sign up for a monitoring service that regularly finds the same results. Instead of only receiving a one-time scan, the monitoring service will be searching through the dark web for you daily.

You can choose to get a family monitoring plan, which means that you can see if your children or other relatives have information on the dark web. As soon as the monitoring service uncovers anything nefarious, you will receive a text, email, or phone call so that you can take care of it right away.

Enroll in Credit Monitoring Services

This service involves your credit reporting agency reaching out to contact you if there are strange purchases linked to your account. For a fee, the agency will regularly review your purchases, and flag any unexpected transactions. They will call you to ask if you made the purchase, or if you believe your account has gotten compromised. If you did not make the purchase, there is a good chance that your financial information is on the dark web and strangers got a hold of it. At this point, you should freeze all your financial accounts, order new cards right away, and change your online banking passwords.

What to Do If My Data is On the Dark Web?

If you find out that any of your information is on the dark web, you will need to act quickly. The first thing to do, if not already done, is to freeze all your bank accounts. You can call your credit agency to cancel any pending transactions and talk to your bank about disputing any fraudulent charges.

If you find out that your driver’s license number has gotten compromised, report it to your state’s DMV. They will cancel your license, and then give you instructions about replacing your license and driving with a temporary one. As a precaution, you can also change all the locks on your home since your address is on the license.

Finding out that your Social Security number got compromised is a bigger deal and requires more steps to manage the problem. You will need to report the theft to the IRS so that nobody can file income tax under your SSN. Then, contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the identity theft. You can do so online or over the phone. Finally, you can file a report with your local police department and make them aware of online identity theft. There might not be much that the police can do to solve the crime, but you will receive a copy of the police report. You will need this report to apply for a new Social Security number.