What Is Dark Web Monitoring?

What Is the Dark Web?

The dark web is a subsection of the internet that requires special software to access. It's hidden from search engines and allows users to mask their IP addresses. The dark web's privacy and anonymity make it a prime venue for people who want to stay hidden, whether that's for innocuous reasons or because they're involved in crime, including identity theft.

Your personal information can end up on the dark web in several ways, including via data breaches, phishing scams and malware. Cybercriminals often bundle private details from several victims and sell them on hidden marketplaces, often at surprisingly low prices.

Be aware: Information, such as your name, date of birth, Social Security number, login credentials and account numbers, can give identity thieves what they need to open new accounts, drain your bank account or rack up a balance on your credit card.

How Does Dark Web Monitoring Work?

Dark web monitoring services help consumers by scanning hundreds of thousands of websites each day to look for personal information that criminals can use to steal a person's identity. When a service finds a match, it'll send an alert so the person can take action.

A dark web monitoring service usually relies on a mix of automated tools and human expertise. It'll typically start by using software to crawl dark web pages very quickly. Trained analysts can then interpret the results, track additional sources and reach places an automated tool can't or that require a more nuanced approach.

Dark web monitoring services search for the following information:

• Social Security number
• Email address
• Passport number
• Medical identification numbers
• Bank account numbers
• Phone numbers
• Driver's license
• Credit/debit card numbers

With a paid premium membership, Experian will scan 600,000 dark web pages every day and send you a notification if it finds potentially compromising information. Or, you can run a free dark web scan to see if your Social Security number, phone number or email is on the dark web.

Who Should Consider Dark Web Monitoring?

Just about anyone with a digital footprint can benefit from some form of dark web monitoring, because anyone whose information lives online can have that data exposed. More specifically, here's who stands to gain the most from dark web monitoring services:

• Everyday individuals: If you shop, bank or use other online services, your information could be vulnerable to a data breach. If you use email regularly, you could also be a target for phishing scams.
• Data breach victims: If your personal data has already been compromised, a dark web monitoring service can let you know when those details surface in a criminal marketplace.
• Businesses and organizations: If you run a company or organization that stores sensitive customer files, employee records or proprietary systems, dark web monitoring can not only protect your assets but also the people who trust you.

Learn more: How to Avoid Identity Theft While Shopping Online

Benefits of Dark Web Monitoring

Dark web monitoring services can't remove your information from circulation, but they can provide crucial advantages, including:

• Early warning alerts: Many of these services run scans daily or even continuously, so if your information shows up, you'll know soon thereafter. This early warning gives you time to change passwords, freeze your credit or lock accounts before a thief can do anything.
• Reduced data breach impact: Some companies may take weeks or months after a data breach to notify the people who are affected. With dark web monitoring, you may find out long before an official announcement, allowing you to take action and minimize the potential impact.
• Peace of mind: Just knowing that someone is keeping track of those hidden corners of the internet can relieve some of the stress of having so much of your data living online.
• Broader protection: Many dark web monitoring services are also paired with credit monitoring, which allows you to keep an eye on both your data and any concerning activity on your credit report.

Types of ID Theft That Can Happen on the Dark Web

Depending on the type of personal information stolen, criminals may engage in one or more types of identity theft and fraud. Here are some of the most common ones to watch out for:

• Financial identity theft: A thief may use stolen account information to make unauthorized purchases or withdrawals, or they may open new accounts in your name.
• Medical identity theft: Instead of stealing your money, a criminal may use your Social Security number or health insurance details to obtain medical treatment, prescriptions or equipment in your name. Medical identity theft can also corrupt your medical records, affecting the quality of treatment you receive.
• Employment identity theft: With employment identity theft, someone may use your name and Social Security number to obtain a job, potentially leaving you on the hook to pay income taxes on wages you never earned.
• Tax identity theft: In this case, an identity thief may file a tax return in your name, claiming your tax refund before you do.

How You Can Protect Your Information From the Dark Web

It's impossible to keep track of every bit of information you share online, but you can make it harder to steal. Here are some steps you can take:

• Create strong, unique passwords. Consider using a password manager like 1Password or NordPass to help you set and keep track of strong and unique passwords for each website you use. While some browsers offer this type of service for free, it tends to be less secure.
• Enable multifactor authentication. This feature adds a second step to logging in to your online accounts and mobile apps. Multifactor authentication options usually include biometric authentication, an authenticator app or a passcode sent via text, email or phone call.
• Use a virtual private network when in public. If you're on a public Wi-Fi network, others connected to it could potentially eavesdrop on anything you transmit from your device. With a virtual private network (VPN), you can encrypt your connection and keep your activity private.
• Stay alert to phishing attacks. Be wary of any email or text message you receive that asks you to open an attachment or click on a link to provide personal information. Check the sender's address or number to verify that it's legitimate, or call the sender's customer service line (found on the organization's website) to verify a request for details.
• Safeguard your physical documents. If you have documents that contain sensitive information, keep them in a safe place, and then shred them when you no longer need them. It's also a good idea to sign up for electronic statements and correspondence, especially for your financial accounts.

What to Do if Your Information Is Found on the Dark Web

Finding out you've been victimized by a cybercriminal can be deeply unsettling, but it doesn't necessarily mean that fraud has occurred yet. Moving quickly can make your stolen data less useful to criminals and minimize the real-world damage they can cause. Here's what you can do:

• Change your passwords. If the stolen information is tied to a specific account, change the password to help prevent the criminal from gaining access. If you use the same password for any other online account, make sure to change those, too, and consider getting set up with a password manager.
• Enable multifactor authentication. Adding this extra layer of protection can keep an identity thief out of your online account, even if they have the password. It can also be worth checking all of your important accounts to make sure you have multifactor authentication turned on.
• Log out of active sessions. Some online platforms may allow you to sign out of all active sessions. So, if someone else has already gotten into your account, it'll kick them out. Just be sure to change your password before doing this so they can't easily get back in.
• Freeze your credit. You have a right to freeze your credit reports, which will limit creditors from being able to review them in response to an unauthorized credit application. If you plan to apply for credit soon, you may alternatively consider a fraud alert, but it won't provide as much protection. You can always thaw a credit freeze instead.

If you can confirm that someone has committed identity theft, you can file a report at IdentityTheft.gov and get started on your recovery plan.

Depending on the situation, you may also need to file a police report with local law enforcement and also contact your state's motor vehicle department, the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the U.S. State Department passport agency.

The Bottom Line

Personally identifying information is valuable, and the dark web is where a lot of it ends up for sale. While dark web monitoring can't erase the data cybercriminals steal, it can tell you when your details have been exposed, so you can take action before the damage compounds.

You can see whether your information is already out there with Experian's free dark web scan. It checks the dark web for your Social Security number, email and phone number at no cost.