Is Your Personal Data On the Dark Web? How To Find Out

Was Your Personal Information Leaked in a Data Breach?

If your data is leaked in a data breach, scammers can use it to hack your online accounts, steal your identity, or even empty your bank account. 

That’s what happened to dozens of Oakland residents when the city’s website was hacked, and 600 gigabytes of data was leaked to the Dark Web — including personal information, driver’s license images, and even Social Security numbers (SSNs) [*]. 

Unfortunately, data breaches are happening at a record pace.

According to the latest research [*]:

2023 is on track to be the worst year ever for data breaches — with more than 156 million victims in just the first half of the year. 

While it’s almost impossible to remove your leaked data from the Dark Web, knowing what sensitive information has been compromised can help you take steps to secure your accounts and your identity. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to find out if you’re at risk and what to do if your personal information has been leaked in a data breach. 

⚡️ Get near real-time alerts if your data is leaked. Identity Guard constantly monitors your most sensitive information across the Dark Web, public records, and more. Save 33% when you sign up for Identity Guard’s award-winning solution today.

How Does Your Data End Up on the Dark Web? Is It Bad? 

The internet essentially consists of three layers: The surface web that search engines access, the deep web that requires logins and passwords, and the Dark Web or darknet — a concealed overlay network that requires special web browsers, such as Tor, to access.

When cybercriminals leak stolen sensitive data, it almost always ends up on the Dark Web, as this part of the internet grants users anonymity and privacy from IP address-tracking.

While there are legitimate uses for the Dark Web (such as secure communications for investigative journalists and whistleblowers), it’s better known for shady marketplaces and forums that are dedicated to all types of illegal activity. 

On any number of Dark Web sites, you can find stolen contact details, credit card numbers, or even full sets of personally identifiable information (PII) — more commonly known as “Fullz.”

Your data can end up on the Dark Web via a number of different ways — from hacked online accounts to data breaches and leaks, or even through a malware-infected device. But no matter how it got there, having your PII on the Dark Web can put you at serious risk.

Here’s what can happen if your personal information is leaked on the Dark Web: 

• Your identity could be stolen via leaked data. With just a few pieces of stolen personal data, identity thieves can steal your identity and use it to access your finances, apply for government benefits, or even create fake IDs in your name. 
• Scammers can target you with smarter scam emails, calls, and texts. Con artists use your information to customize their scams and phishing attacks in order to make them seem more legitimate and convincing. 
• Fraudsters could take out loans in your name or empty your bank account. Identity thieves can use your stolen identity to take out loans — leaving you with a poor credit score and mountains of debts to try and dispute. 
• Hackers can take over your online accounts. Data breaches can leak passwords or give hackers enough information to guess your login details for social media, email, and other sensitive online accounts.  
• Cybercriminals can cause serious legal problems for you. Fraudsters may use your PII to commit tax, employment, or medical fraud in your name. They could even use your identity when stopped by the police — giving you a criminal record. 

The bottom line: Any personal information found on the Dark Web makes you an attractive target for scammers, hackers, and identity thieves. Consider signing up for Identity Guard to monitor the Dark Web 24/7 for your sensitive information.  

How To Find Out If Your Information Is on the Dark Web 

1. Run a free Dark Web scan
2. Sign up for 24/7 Dark Web monitoring
3. Check recent data breach notifications
4. Look for warning signs that your device has been hacked
5. Spot the red flags of identity theft

In 2022, identity theft affected more than 40 million Americans and totalled more than $43 billion in losses [*]. Now more than ever, you need to keep a close eye on your personal information, your accounts, and your devices. 

Here are five ways to find out if your information has been leaked:

1. Run a free Dark Web scan

While you can scour the Dark Web yourself, it isn’t easy — nor is it safe to do so. Instead, a free Dark Web scanner can search countless Dark Web pages and marketplaces for your personal information. 

This is a good place to start — however, free scanners only check for email addresses (and sometimes phone numbers). To see if your financial data, SSN, or IDs have been leaked, you need to sign up for a Dark Web monitoring service. 

How to get a free Dark Web Scan:

• Identity Guard’s free Dark Web scanner. Identity Guard offers a free Dark Web scan that uncovers whether or not your email and passwords have been leaked in recent data breaches. 
• HaveIBeenPwned [*]. An independent website from Troy Hunt, HaveIBeenPwned lets you search major data breaches for your email address. You can also search password and domain breaches and sign up for breach notifications. 
• Firefox Monitor [*]. Firefox Monitor checks if your email address has leaked in any major breaches since 2007. You can also sign up for alerts of any leaks that may occur in the future. 

💡 Related: What Is a Dark Web Scan? Why Should You Do One? →

2. Sign up for 24/7 Dark Web monitoring

Free Dark Web scanners aren’t comprehensive enough to give you a complete and accurate picture of whether your information is on the Dark Web. Rather, using a Dark Web monitoring service is the only way to check if your more sensitive information has been leaked. 

How to get a Dark Web monitoring service:

• Identity Guard's identity monitoring. Identity Guard constantly monitors the Dark Web for your name, SSN, driver's license number, and more. The service alerts you as soon as a leak occurs, while also providing you with customer support and up to $1 million in insurance covering eligible losses due to identity theft.  
• LastPass. LastPass is a password manager that works with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and others. This tool can also monitor the Dark Web for your email addresses, and notify you of compromised accounts. 
• Dashlane. Dashlane is another password manager that reviews more than 20 billion records on the Dark Web for any indication that your email addresses have been leaked. 

💡 Related: What To Do If Your Data Has Been Breached →

3. Check recent data breach notifications

Companies are legally required to disclose when they’ve been hit by a data breach — and even some of the largest and most secure organizations in the world, including Microsoft and Amazon, have been victims [* *].

While you can never keep up with every cyberattack and leak, you can stay up to date on major and meaningful events by paying attention to the best and most dependable sources.  

How to check recent data breaches:

• Official statements from affected organizations. While the legal specifics vary by location, all states require organizations to inform consumers about data breaches involving personal information [*]. If your data is compromised, you should receive an email at the very least.
• Tech blogs and news sites. Plenty of websites focus on cybersecurity issues and discuss the latest data breaches — including CyberCrime Magazine, Krebs on Security, Cyber Magazine, and CSO Online. Consider adding some of these to your daily web routine in order to stay informed. 
• Government agency updates. Check out the latest press releases and information from government agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

💡 Related: Was Your SSN Found on the Dark Web? Do This →

4. Look for warning signs that your device has been hacked

If your data has been leaked, hackers may be able to gain access to your device, which can allow them to unlock your accounts, steal your private information, and create chaos in your life. If you can uncover a hack in its early stages, however, you might shut down identity thieves before they use your information — or even prevent a leak altogether. 

How to know if your device has been hacked:

• You get locked out of online accounts. Hackers can steal your information, break into your accounts, and lock you out very quickly. Signs of hacking include login details that no longer work, or receiving unauthorized password change requests and login attempt emails.
• You receive notifications about unusual activity. Suspicious activity — such as unfamiliar logins and “sent” emails — can signal a hack. You may even hear from family members or coworkers who say they’ve received messages from you that you didn't send.
• Your device begins acting strangely. Hacked devices use more resources, which can lead to overheating or slowed-down performance. You may also notice new browsers and add-ons, odd cursor movements, or your actions being redirected to other webpages. 

💡 Related: How To Remove Your Personal Information From the Internet →

5. Spot the red flags of identity theft

When your information is circulating on the Dark Web, identity theft is the most dangerous outcome. If you don't catch it early on, identity theft can cause financial, emotional, and legal trouble. 

Fraudsters can create accounts in your name, misuse your existing accounts, and damage your credit and reputation. Along with the tips described above, there are other ways to detect identity theft. 

How to know if your identity has been stolen:

• Strange transactions, withdrawals, or transfers. Scammers may use your stolen identity to break into your bank account and try to steal your savings. Pay close attention to your account statements, and consider monitoring your credit.
• Strange calls, texts, or emails. If your phone number or email address leaks, you could experience a significant uptick in scam attempts. Legitimate calls from debt collectors and lenders referencing unfamiliar accounts might also occur.
• Rejected tax returns or credit requests. If fraudsters have ruined your credit or filed a fraudulent tax return in your name, your own loan applications and tax filings won’t go through and will be rejected. 

💡 Related: How To Check If Someone Is Using Your Identity →

What To Do If Your Personal Data Is Found on the Dark Web

Even if you only find your email account on the Dark Web, there's a good chance that other information has made its way there, too. You need to act quickly to secure your identity and online accounts before cybercriminals can cause you harm. 

If your information is on the Dark Web and you think you could be at risk of identity theft, hacking, or scams, immediately follow the steps below:

1. Freeze your credit with all three bureaus. A credit freeze prevents anyone from accessing your credit file — stopping scammers from opening new accounts or taking out credit in your name. To freeze your credit, you’ll need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
2. Update all of your account passwords. Limit the damage fraudsters can do by changing your email, social media, and online banking account passwords. Use a password manager to help you create and store complex, unique passwords for each of your accounts. 
3. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible. By setting up 2FA on your accounts, future logins will require verification through another device or email account. For added security, use an authenticator app such as Authy (instead of SMS) for your 2FA codes.
4. Review your credit report for signs of fraud. You can request a free credit report from each major credit bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com. Go through these reports and make sure you recognize all of the account numbers, debts, and hard inquiries. 
5. Check your bank and credit card account statements. Look for suspicious activity on your bank and credit card statements, such as unfamiliar transactions and unauthorized payments or transfers. Early detection could allow your bank to reverse the charges without requiring a major investigation. 
6. File an official report with the FTC and authorities. If your identity has been compromised, file a complaint with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC will use the information you supply to initiate an investigation and provide you with a recovery plan. If you file a police report, you will likely need to reference your FTC complaint.
7. Secure your SSN, and check your Social Security statement. If you haven’t already done so, start by claiming your my Social Security account to prevent scammers from claiming it in your name. Next, lock your SSN on the E-Verify website to stop employment-related fraud. 
8. Warn any impacted agency. You might start by contacting your bank's fraud department to flag your accounts or report unusual activity. You can also reach out to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if your license was affected, or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if you're at risk of tax or employment fraud. To get ahead of potential crimes, inform any governing organization about documents that you know or think might have been stolen.
9. Be extra cautious when receiving strange emails, calls, and texts. Once your information leaks, your risk of falling prey to cybercrimes and scams increases considerably. Fraudsters use your data to create believable schemes — so you need to be on your guard, and treat every request for money and information as a possible fraud attempt. 
10. Consider signing up for identity theft protection. Once you've been affected by identity theft, the odds of it happening again increase exponentially [*]. To reduce the chances of becoming a repeat victim, consider comprehensive identity protection that monitors your personal data, your accounts and credit file, and the Dark Web — alerting you if any of your information becomes compromised. 

💪 Shut down scammers with award-winning identity theft protection. Identity Guard monitors your most sensitive personal details across the Dark Web, data breaches, and more. Save 33% when you sign up for Identity Guard today.

Can You Remove Your Information From the Dark Web?

Unfortunately, once your information makes its way to the Dark Web, there's no real way to take it off. Even if you could, you have no way of knowing who's seen it, recorded it, or stored it somewhere else. 

If you try to take matters into your own hands and access the Dark Web, you could end up doing even further harm to yourself. You might unknowingly infect your device with malware, fall for one of many Dark Web scams, or give up even more information. 

The only way to reliably protect yourself from the dangers of the Dark Web is to sign up for Dark Web monitoring and identity theft protection. With Identity Guard, you’ll find out if and when your personal data leaks — and defend and insure yourself against fraud.  

How To Keep Your Data Off the Dark Web

The sheer number of data breaches taking place around the world makes it nearly impossible to keep your online information completely private. The reality is that many cybersecurity researchers believe that every American’s SSN has already been leaked online at some point. 

While you might not be able to keep all of your personal data off the Dark Web, you can make it harder for hackers and scammers to punish you with your own information. 

Here are several ways to keep your personal details out of the hands of hackers. 

• Limit the data you share with companies.
• Don’t store your credit card information with online stores. 
• Delete unused online accounts.
• Use unique and strong passwords for every account.
• Regularly update your passwords.
• Always enable 2FA.
• Keep your software and devices updated. 
• Learn to spot the warning signs of phishing scams.
• Consider using a virtual private network (VPN), especially when accessing public Wi-Fi.
• Regularly run antivirus software to shield against malware.

For more thorough protection, let Identity Guard monitor your personal information and safeguard you and your family from hackers, scammers, and identity thieves. 

With Identity Guard, you’ll receive 24/7 Dark Web and credit monitoring, award-winning identity theft protection and support, and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance coverage. 

Keep your personal data private. Save 33% when you sign up for Identity Guard today.