The “dark web” sure sounds like a scary place, doesn’t it? Criminals doing their criminal things, selling stolen information and whatnot. But there’s no need to be afraid of the dark web – as long as you take the proper precautions. And one of those precautions is dark web monitoring. Because if you’re not monitoring your personal information on the dark web, it could be at risk.
So – what IS the dark web? The first thing to know is that the dark web is a part of the internet that can’t be accessed by traditional means. You can’t just Google “dark web” and it will take you there – you need a special browser, like one called Tor, to access it. And because it’s not easily accessible, it’s often used for criminal activity – like selling, trading, and buying YOUR personal information.
How is your information stolen in the first place? You may be taking all the necessary precautions to secure your data but, in a lot of cases, personal information is lost by the companies you do business with and interact with online when they are hacked in a data breach. Unfortunately, the number and size of data breaches have continued to increase in recent years meaning more information is available for sale.
What kinds of information are sold on the dark web? Well, pretty much anything you can think of – from Social Insurance Numbers and credit card information to email addresses and passwords. If it’s sensitive information, there’s a good chance it’s being bought and sold on the dark web.
Your personal information is VERY valuable on the dark web. And it’s not just credit card numbers! Hacked email accounts are actually worth MORE than a credit card number. With your email account, a criminal can reset the passwords to your social media accounts, online banking accounts, and even your email account itself. They can then use these accounts to impersonate you, commit fraud, or even extort money from you, your friends, and your family! So if a criminal has access to your email account, it’s a big deal.
How can you protect your information with breaches being so common? Unfortunately, once your information is out there, it’s pretty much impossible to get it back. So that’s where dark web monitoring comes in!
With dark web monitoring, we will alert you as soon as we detect your personal information on the dark web. This way, you can take action as soon as possible to prevent or limit the damage of ID theft. You can monitor your:
- Email addresses
- Credit/Debit card numbers
- Bank account numbers
- Phone numbers
- Passport numbers
- Social Insurance Number
- Driver’s licence number
The more information you register for dark web monitoring, the more protected you’ll be! And when you register your information, we automatically do a 10-year historical scan to see if any of your information may already be compromised and putting your identity at risk.
If you haven’t taken full advantage of dark web monitoring yet, now’s the time! The dark web can be a scary place but, with dark web monitoring, you can take control of your personal information and help protect your identity.
