In modern times, technology is our assistant in many things in our daily lives. But despite the good things it brings, there are risks and threats associated with it. You can find almost everything online, even the most sensitive information, such as your identity, location, or private number. In a few cases, you can even find your phone number on the Dark Web.
The Dark Web is where people carry out illegal activities online, such as selling weapons or drugs, child and women trafficking, and many more. Criminals can steal and use your personal information, such as your phone number, for illegal activities online.
We often neglect and disclose our personal information online without realizing the danger it may bring. Some people involved in the Dark Web take advantage of such pieces of information for the wrong reasons.
The “Phone Number on Dark Web” Scam
Phone number on the Dark Web, most of the time, is a scam
There are ads circling online claiming that they will look for your information for sale on the dark web, promising to delete them on the record. If you receive correspondence from one of those fraud detection reports saying that your phone number is on the Dark Web, it is most often not worth the hassle. Most of the time, they are just clickbaits and a scam. However, it is best to be on guard for your email address or phone number.
What happens if my phone number is on the Dark Web?
Leaked phone numbers are prone to illegal activities
Have you ever received a message or call from an unknown person offering a product or subscription, or received a call that you have won the lottery, or become a victim of extortion? If you’re wondering how they got your information, it’s because of a data breach, and your information might have been leaked to the Dark Web.
Any information that is on the Dark Web, such as a phone number, is prone to illegal activities. It only becomes scary if your phone number becomes associated with your name and other relevant information. Criminals can use the information to impersonate you or create a fake identity.
What to do if your phone number is found on the Dark Web?
Report it to your service provider as necessary
It is not really a big concern if your phone number is on the Dark Web. It will become more of a problem when it is linked to your personal information, such as a physical address, bank records, criminal records, social media accounts, family members’ personal information, etc.
Unscrupulous individuals can use such pieces of information to commit crimes such as identity theft, blackmail, stalking, doxing, and hacking. If your phone number is on the Dark Web, you can coordinate it with your service provider and report the incident. If it involves more sensitive personal information, like your email or social media accounts, consider changing your passwords.
Can you remove your phone number from the Dark Web?
There’s no known way to remove your phone number on the Dark Web
Removing your phone number from the Dark Web is not certain. Once it is there, it’s there. There is no known way of removing or deleting it from the file. To avoid issues in the future, make sure to change your number or report it to your service provider.
Can someone hack my bank account with my phone number?
Bank accounts are vulnerable to hackers
In this day and age when online attackers are everywhere, it is possible to hack any account associated with your phone number, just like your bank account. To avoid this, make sure to activate the security options of your bank accounts and don’t share the one-time password. Make it a habit to change your passwords. Also, keep a close eye on your statement of accounts and report any suspicious transactions.
How do I make my phone number unsearchable?
We often neglect the importance of making our phone numbers private. Most of the time, we just give out our numbers whenever we are registering online for our social media accounts, online shopping, etc. When it’s leaked on the Dark Web, there is no known way of removing it, even though some fraud detection ad claims they can.
However, there are several ways how we could protect that information. For example, you can block your number from being displayed for a specific call by adding *67 in front of the number you are calling.
You can also ask to remove your phone number from the spam list by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236) or registering online with the National Do Not Call Registry.
What are the signs your phone has been on the Dark Web?
The most prominent sign that your phone number’s been leaked o the Dark Web is when you receive unsolicited messages, spam ads, suspicious offers, etc.
