Dark Web Monitoring for the United States

Dark Web Monitoring for the United States

Based on what was found in your notification, use the list below for the next steps. We will continue to scan the dark web for activity. If we detect your information, we will send another email. You can:
  1. Change the password associated with the affected website or any other site where you've used the same password. If you don't remember your password, perform a password reset on the site.
  2. Review your credit reports, and watch for new credit inquiry alerts or suspicious activity, and consider freezing your credit file.
  3. If you have signed up for Transaction Monitoring, review your financial transactions regularly.
  4. Complete your profile by visiting the dashboard so we can monitor more of your information.

Username

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Username, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Consider changing your Username if you have the option. The same Username may have been exposed multiple times in the past.
  2. Consider changing your passwords linked to that Username.

Password

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Password, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Change your password.
  2. If you use this password for other websites or apps, then change it for those services too.
  3. Set up two-factor authentication whenever available with a website.

Email

Emails can be used for phishing schemes that criminals use to try to get your information. If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Email, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. If you are using this email as a login/username, consider changing this for better protection.
  2. We recommend that you never give any personal or sensitive information over email.

Password Combo List

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your password exposed in a combo list, a collection of email addresses and passwords from breached websites, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Change your password.
  2. If you use this password for other websites or apps, then change it for those services too.
  3. Use a password manager to generate unique passwords for websites.
  4. Set up two-factor authentication whenever available with a website.

Date of Birth

Your Date of Birth, along with other personal information, can be used by identity thieves to hack into accounts and commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Date of Birth, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Review your financial statements and watch for any transactions you don't recognize.
  2. Remove mail from your mailbox right away. If you'll be away from home, request a mail hold.
  3. Shred anything that has personal information, including credit card and bank statements, receipts, and medical records.
  4. Opt for paperless delivery whenever possible and practical.
  5. Consider setting up a locked mailbox to decrease the risk of stolen mail.

Mother's Maiden Name

Your Mother's Maiden Name, along with other personal information, can be used by identity thieves to hack into accounts and commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification that included your Mother's Maiden Name, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Review your financial statements and watch for any transactions you don't recognize.
  2. Remove mail from your mailbox right away. If you'll be away from home, request a mail hold.
  3. Shred anything that has personal information, including credit card and bank statements, receipts, and medical records.
  4. Opt for paperless delivery whenever possible and practical.
  5. Consider setting up a locked mailbox to decrease the risk of stolen mail.

Driver's License

Your Driver's License Number, along with other personal information, can be used by identity thieves to commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Driver's License, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Review your financial statements and watch for any transactions you don't recognize.
  2. Remove mail from your mailbox right away. If you'll be away from home, request a mail hold.
  3. Shred anything that has personal information, including credit card and bank statements, receipts, and medical records.
  4. Opt for paperless delivery whenever possible and practical.
  5. Consider setting up a locked mailbox to decrease the risk of stolen mail.

Bank Account

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Bank Account, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Review bank statements for accuracy.
  2. Never disclose a debit or credit card PIN (personal identification number) in email or on the phone.
  3. Be suspicious of strangers who ask for personal information by email or phone.
  4. If you're asked to provide your Social Security number or other confidential information, make sure you know who wants the information and why.
  5. Be wary of email attachments and "free" software.
  6. Don't use part of your Social Security number as a PIN.
  7. Think before you download apps, click on links or reply to emails that might be harmful or fraudulent.
  8. Keep your laptop or mobile device's operating system and Internet browser up to date.
  9. Don't store passwords, your Social Security or other sensitive information on your smartphone.
  10. Be aware of your surroundings when you bank online and watch out for "shoulder surfers," people who hover nearby and observe your information without your knowledge.

Passport Number

Your Passport Number, along with other personal information, can be used by identity thieves to commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Passport, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Contact your local passport office to file a complaint
  2. Apply for a replacement passport

Name

Your Name and Address, along with other personal information, can be used by identity thieves to hack into accounts and commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Name, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Review your financial statements and watch for any transactions you don't recognize.
  2. Remove mail from your mailbox right away. If you'll be away from home, request a mail hold.
  3. Shred anything that has personal information, including credit card and bank statements, receipts, and medical records.
  4. Opt for paperless delivery whenever possible and practical.
  5. Consider setting up a locked mailbox to decrease the risk of stolen mail.

Address

Your Name and Address, along with other personal information, can be used by identity thieves to hack into accounts and commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Address, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Review your financial statements and watch for any transactions you don't recognize.
  2. Remove mail from your mailbox right away. If you'll be away from home, request a mail hold.
  3. Shred anything that has personal information, including credit card and bank statements, receipts, and medical records.
  4. Opt for paperless delivery whenever possible and practical.
  5. Consider setting up a locked mailbox to decrease the risk of stolen mail.

Phone Number

Phone numbers can be used for phishing schemes that criminals use to try to get your information to commit fraudulent activities.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Phone Number, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Never give any personal or bank information over the phone unless you are certain of the caller.
  2. If you start receiving suspicious calls, contact your telephone service provider to see if it is possible to block calls from those numbers.
  3. Register your phone number on the national Do Not Call Registry or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236) from the number you wish to register. If you register online, you must click on the confirmation email you receive to complete your free registration.

Insurance Information

Identity thieves can you use any of your insurance information to submit false claims, which can be for, but not limited to, medical, car, life, home, or pet.
If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included any of your insurance information, including but not limited to policy numbers, medical information, or insurance providers, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Carefully review any insurance bills and claims.
  2. Be on the lookout for:
  3. Medical or other insurance collection notices on your credit report that you don't recognize
  4. A notice from your health plan saying you reached your benefit limit
  5. A denial of insurance because of past claims or medical records for a condition you don't have
  6. Other tips:
  7. Remove mail from your mailbox right away. If you'll be away from home, request a mail hold.
  8. Shred anything that has personal information, including credit card and bank statements, receipts, and medical records.
  9. Opt for paperless delivery whenever possible and practical.
  10. Consider setting up a locked mailbox to decrease the risk of stolen mail.

Gamer tag

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Gamer tag, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Change your password with all gaming platforms in which you use the Gamer tag
  2. Enable two-factor authentication with the gaming platforms
  3. Change your email password associated with the Gamer tag
  4. Use a different password and Gamer tag for each gaming platform

Social Security Number

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Social Security Number, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Check your credit report regularly for unauthorized activity.
  2. Consider putting a credit freeze on your credit file.
  3. Consider putting a security freeze on your consumer report with the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange and ChexSystems.

Credit Card

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Credit Card, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Contact your credit or debit card company for a replacement card and monitor your activity closely.
  2. Report any suspicious activity to your financial institution immediately.
  3. We recommend using the Transaction Monitoring service from LifeLock.

CVV or CCV

If you received a Dark Web Notification and it included your Credit Card CVV or CCV, here are some next steps to help protect yourself:
  1. Contact your credit or debit card company for a replacement card and monitor your activity closely.
  2. Report any suspicious activity to your financial institution immediately.
  3. We recommend using the Transaction Monitoring service from LifeLock.

Getting started with credit freezes

Also known as a security freeze, a credit freeze allows you to restrict access to your credit report, which makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. Most creditors will want to request your credit report before they approve a new account. If they can't review your report, they may not extent credit and then no account would be opened.

Keep in mind, however, that a credit freeze may prevent you from opening a new account, applying for a job, renting an apartment or buying insurance. If you need to do any of these, you can lift the freeze temporarily either for a specified time or to allow access to a specified party. You can have the freeze lifted for free and place it again for free when you are done allowing access to your credit.

While a credit freeze can help prevent identity thieves from opening accounts using your information, they will not prevent a thief from accessing existing accounts and will not prevent prescreened offers of credit.

All the national bureaus are required, by law, to offer you credit freezes for free. Remember, freezing your credit will not impact your credit score or prevent you from getting your free annual credit report and your existing creditors and certain governmental agencies will still have access to your credit report.

For more information, please read Placing a credit freeze .

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