The exposure of your Social Security Number on the dark web isn’t just a breach of your privacy—it can have far-reaching consequences that affect your financial stability, credit history, and personal life. Knowing the potential impacts can help you grasp the seriousness of the situation and the importance of taking swift, corrective action. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try to protect your identity, a cybercriminal may still successfully open an account under your name.
- The New York Times describes Numident as “one of the nation’s most sensitive repositories of personal information,” in its report on the case.
- Eric Flores, who is visiting Cleveland for the Browns game, said he would like more done by the federal government to protect our sensitive information.
- A credit freeze prevents creditors from approving new loans or lines of credit in your name.
- To place a credit freeze, you must contact each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax).
- 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.
- Additionally, you may have received a data notification letter from a breached company, which should specify what type of information was involved.
Guard Your Card: Protect What’s Important To You
A credit monitoring service notices any changes in your credit report and alerts you if there is suspicious activity that could indicate fraud. Remember, some credit card companies offer this service for free if you have an account with them, so contact your credit card company to see if they offer credit monitoring. An identity thief with a stolen identification number may look for a quick payout through getting access to your credit, financial accounts or government benefits such as unemployment claims fraud. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports and think about freezing access to your credit information. A credit freeze offers stronger protection by restricting access to your credit report entirely. While a fraud alert prompts verification, a credit freeze prevents new credit accounts from being opened in your name unless you temporarily lift it.
A compromised social security number is much more problematic than when other types of personal data hacked. If your credit card number is stolen, your bank can issue a new one within days. If your passport or driver’s license is stolen, you can get a replacement issued with brand new numbers. With various reports of data breaches involving Social Security numbers in the media, we’d like to remind you about the importance of protecting your personal information. Someone illegally using your Social Security number (SSN) and possibly assuming your identity can cause many problems. Even if you take steps to protect your credit, it’s important to keep a close eye on your existing accounts—including your bank account, credit card statements, and utility bills.
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Stransky said this kind of breach is different because it involves social security numbers, and the damage can be extensive if not caught early. Opponents fought DOGE in court to prevent the department gaining access to such sensitive information. But at Trump’s urging, the Supreme Court overruled lower courts that blocked DOGE’s access to sensitive SSA info, allowing the department to proceed.
Use Identity Theft Protection Services
Request a new card number and consider asking your bank to freeze your credit or debit card temporarily. If you notice any fraudulent charges, report and dispute them immediately. In some cases, your bank may recommend additional cybersecurity measures, such as setting up transaction limits or requiring approval for large purchases. A reliable way to pinpoint the information that could have caused your score to drop is reviewing your credit report. You can request free credit reports online weekly from the three main credit reporting bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — using AnnualCreditReport.com. In the wake of several high-profile data breaches in 2024 — including one of the largest to date — Americans have once again turned their attention to the dark web.
You should also reset your password for any other account where you have used the same or similar password. While dark web or SSN monitoring services give you a definitive answer as to whether your SSN is on the dark web, the other methods we described are less straightforward. Any unusual activity such as that we described above is a strong indication that your SSN has likely been exposed and is circulating on the dark web. You’ll want to secure all of your online accounts by setting new, unique passwords for each one.
Stolen data often ends up for sale on this secret section of the internet, where the total amount of money made by markets and fraud shops amounted to $1.7 billion in 2023. In an early August Bloomberg Law report, it was discovered that ultra-sensitive and personal information of nearly three billion people was leaked in an April 2024 data breach. A cybercriminal group called “USDoD” exposed a database owned by National Public Data, a background check company, on a dark web forum. The dark web is a hidden part of the internet where cybercriminals sell stolen data. If your SSN is found there, it means your personal information has been compromised, likely due to a data breach or phishing attack. Some credit cards offer credit monitoring and will send you an alert if a new credit line is opened in your name or if your balance changes significantly.
Bank Security Freeze
The Social Security Administration also provides online access to your earnings and benefits history through its my Social Security account. It’s free to use and you can get an account even if you don’t receive benefits. To safeguard your Social Security number, use the government’s free Self Lock feature. This tool prevents your SSN from being used for unauthorized employment verifications.
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“You have varying levels of companies’ ability to protect the data that they’re collecting, and they may not fall under any regulation to do so because it’s like public data to begin with,” Steinhauer said. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO® Score than FICO® Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. Ben Luthi has worked in financial planning, banking and auto finance, and writes about all aspects of money. His work has appeared in Time, Success, USA Today, Credit Karma, NerdWallet, Wirecutter and more. Prices can vary based on demand, how complete the data is and how easily it can be monetized by criminals.
Step 12: Check Your Social Security Statement
To place a credit freeze, you must contact each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). If someone has access to your social security number, date of birth, and other sensitive information, they can provide this to the creditor and open an account in your name. Also, since they don’t require a PIN number to unlock or lock your credit, you may be susceptible to future identity theft problems.
Troves of information are added to the dark web after data breaches, so it can be difficult for services to keep up. As someone who works in human resources, I understand the significance of safeguarding your employment information. Placing a freeze on your account is crucial in protecting yourself against identity theft, which can lead to false employment and unreported wages, potentially resulting in an IRS audit.
Being notified that your information has been found in a data breach or on the dark web, as its name suggests, shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s likely not an occasion to full-on panic, but it probably suggests some next steps. You were smart to employ an identity protection provider to monitor the dark web for your credentials and alert you if they found anything. The credit score provided in CreditWise is a FICO® Score 8 based on TransUnion data. The FICO Score 8 gives you a good sense of your credit health but it may not be the same score model used by your lender or creditor.
Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you feel overwhelmed or encounter complex issues. The dark web is a part of the internet that can only be accessed using special software. It isn’t indexed by search engines, making it difficult to find specific websites.
Cybercriminals can post SSNs on the dark web after data breaches to sell them on illegal marketplaces or use them as ransom. It’s important to note that freezing your credit prevents anyone—including you—from opening new accounts. If you decide to freeze your credit, make sure you understand the process to unfreeze it, so you can access your credit, when necessary, like when you need to buy a new car. Having your Social Security number on the dark web leaves you vulnerable to identify theft.
If your Social Security number is on the dark web, you need to take immediate steps to protect against identity theft and financial fraud. This guide will help you determine if your SSN is at risk and explain how you can limit your vulnerability. Not only is your social security number designed to stay with you for life, but it’s interknitted with your banking and credit history. If a cyberthief has your name, address and SSN, he is not far from being able to steal your identity. Your SSN is a crucial piece of personal information that can be used to commit fraud and identity theft.
