If you’re still certain that you didn’t authorize this activity, there are steps that you can take. As a non-US citizen, report your stolen passport to the appropriate authority. You can usually file a report online at the appropriate government website. If you have a passport and its data is also on the dark web, contact the Bureau of Foreign Affairs and report that it has been stolen. If you are not from the US, contact your bank and local police department to secure leaked identification numbers applicable to your country. After that, scan your devices for malware and viruses, and if that needs a factory reset, do it and save yourself lots of time dealing with such problems.
Recently, disturbing reports have emerged of individuals finding their personal phone numbers listed on the dark web. This discovery has raised concerns about privacy and security for many people.
Block Scam Calls On Your Phone
The Risks of Having Your Phone Number on the Dark Web
What To Do If You Cannot Remove Your Phone Number?
Having your phone number exposed on the dark web can lead to a variety of risks. Cybercriminals could use this information for phishing scams, identity theft, or even harassment. Once your phone number is on the dark web, it can be difficult to remove, putting you at risk for long-term consequences.
You receive notifications if your sensitive information is found on the dark web, so you can take quick action to fix the problem before it can do more harm. When there is a need to ask a professional to monitor your online identity and help you remove your data from websites and databases, you can search for an identity theft protection service in the US. In fact, they work with different providers and companies to trace your email and find who’s using it on websites in your name or in other ways. The email address on its own is not as dangerous as many people think. However, by using your phone number or email, strangers can look at your personal details online.
Identified Method Use To Capture/Steal Data: How Was That Data Stolen Or Compromised?”
- Avoiding phone and laptop use saves time and completely eliminates the risk of adware software monitoring.
- Please use reasonable care to protect your card and do not share it with employees, relatives, or friends.
- Polymer is a human-centric data loss prevention (DLP) platform that holistically reduces the risk of data exposure in your SaaS apps and AI tools.
- You can sign up for a free 14-day trial of Aura and start monitoring the Dark Web for your sensitive information right now.
- There are just estimates that the dark web is many times bigger than the visible web.
Protecting Your Phone Number
To protect yourself from having your phone number end up on the dark web, it’s important to be cautious about where you share this information. Avoid posting your phone number on social media or public websites, and be wary of providing it to unknown or untrustworthy sources.
Most sites, like Facebook, PayPal, Instagram, and others, have those options. You need to add the Google Authenticator app to your phone and verify it. You can do that even on paper, just to make sure you’re not going too fast and updating the login details and then finding yourself forgetting all the new ones you changed. Also, organize your task and change all of your passwords with the email address you found leaked on the dark web carefully.
Another practical tip to staying safe while browsing the web is to confirm that the website has a valid SSL/TLS certificate. You can check this by clicking on the padlock icon next to the address bar. Another sign of an untrustworthy website is any unusual characteristic of the URL. For example, if you visit your insurance provider’s website, but the name is not correct, or you do not see the HTTPS header, it means your connection is not secure.
If you discover that your phone number is listed on the dark web, take immediate action to limit the potential damage. Contact your phone service provider to change your number, and consider implementing additional security measures to safeguard your personal information.
How did my personal information get on the dark web?
If you're wondering “how does one's personal information get on the Dark Web?”, the answer includes data breaches, scams, and a very diverse range of cyber-attacks (phishing through email, private messages and voice calls, social media impersonation, malware infections or digital identity theft).
Remember, staying vigilant and proactive about protecting your phone number can help prevent it from falling into the wrong hands on the dark web.
Should I be worried if my information is on the dark web?
If your personal information is spotted on the dark web, it could mean someone took the information without your permission. Criminals steal personal information in a variety of ways. Some try hacking into accounts or using malware to capture passwords.
