What happens if your information lands up on the dark web?

The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that you can only access through specialized browsers; ordinary search engines don’t work. And unlike the public web you use every day, activity on the dark web doesn’t leave a digital trail. While there are legitimate reasons for people to use the dark web (like for whistleblowing and political activism), it’s also a marketplace for stolen personal information, which means it’s important to understand how to protect yourself.

Your identity, now on sale

For cybercriminals, the dark web is a marketplace where stolen personal information is bought and sold. They obtain this information in different ways: breaches of company or government databases, unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, phishing scams that trick people into revealing sensitive information, or malware that infects computers and devices.

Once stolen, your information has a long shelf life and can be sold repeatedly to different buyers. And it’s surprisingly inexpensive. Cybersecurity research has found that credit card details can sell for well under $100, while larger databases can be purchased for much less per record. The fraud can occur months or even years after the original data breach, and you always need to remain vigilant.

The warning signs

It’s not always obvious when your personal information has been compromised. After a data breach, there may be weeks, months, or even years of silence before criminals attempt to use or sell your information.

When they do, there are often warning signs. Sometimes fraudsters test a stolen credit card by making a small purchase before attempting larger transactions, so it’s important to regularly review your credit card statements for charges you don’t recognize.

You should also watch for password reset emails or login attempts you didn’t initiate, unfamiliar accounts or credit inquiries in your name, and alerts from your bank or credit monitoring service. If you can identify potential threats early on, it may be easier to limit the damage.

Steps to take in case of a breach

If you suspect your information has fallen into the wrong hands, here’s what you can do:

• Lock any affected accounts and notify your bank and credit card issuer
• Change your passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on financial, email, and social media accounts
• Contact credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit reports
• Monitor any new credit activity closely
• Check your bank and credit card statements frequently
• Contact local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
• Run an antivirus scan on your devices
• Consider setting up an email alias/secondary address to use for online accounts

For even greater protection, use Equifax Complete Protection. This digital subscription service provides dark web monitoring to find out if your provided email addresses, SIN, passport number, banking or credit card information have been compromised. Equifax Complete Protection also includes a password manager, social media monitoring, data encryption, credit monitoring, parental controls, device protection, and identity restoration in case of identity theft—all for as little as $34.95 per month.

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About Michael McCullough

Michael is a financial writer and editor in Duncan, B.C. He’s a former managing editor of Canadian Business and editorial director of Canada Wide Media. He also writes for The Globe and Mail and BCBusiness.