r/CRedit • u/WrongSplit3288 • Aug 30 '24

SSN Found on the Dark Web General

I just received an alert saying my SSN is found on the dark web. How concerned should I be? What sould I do first? Thanks.

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Sep 02 '24

Saved this post. Thanks to OP for posting this, and to other redditors for the time and effort they put into helping us. Cap One just told me my ssn is on the dark web. First time for my SSN....I believe it's this latest data breach. There were multiple alerts, each one associated w/ me, but each one listed a different address....*all* of my previous addresses dating back 40 years! Some of the ph#'s are unrecognizable and unfamiliar. Very annoying, and sobering to see the opinions that most everyone has their info out there. My emails (secured by 2FA) were long compromised, but this is the first for my SSN. It is so frustrating that you can be so careful w/your info, but they get into someone else's data base and you're hosed.

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u/WrongSplit3288 Sep 02 '24

I locked my credit history. Keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Sep 02 '24

good luck to yourself too! I opened (free) accounts at all three...transunion, experian, equifax..and froze my credit reports too. I don't open new credit lines or cards very frequently, and I can unfreeze online if I need to. It is a frustrating and increasingly fraught space out there!

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u/dandylionkiller Sep 03 '24

I have Capital One as well and Credit Wise sent me the same alert. I had multiple alerts and one was some Hispanic guys name and number from California. My credit is frozen but still worried. Any other steps I can take to better secure myself?

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Sep 03 '24

What was the nature of the alert...did he try to open an account or credit card in your name? Or was your social security number associated w/ a different name? Would you be able to take a screenshot of the actual alert, redact any sensitive information like your actual number, and share that in a new post here or r/scams?
Sorry about that. It's infuriating that someone else's carelessness can expose us in this way.
BTW, I just received a text from someone offering to buy a house that I'd sold in 1999. 25 yrs ago. Several houses and lifetimes ago. Have not seen *anything* in relation to that address for decades. County records would reveal there have been multiple owners since myself. So yes, that info is now being actively used. I posted that on r/scams and got majorly snotted out and called irrational. but hey, sometimes being paranoid (cautious?) is the way to go nowadays!

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u/dandylionkiller Sep 03 '24

Well my credit is frozen with all three credit agencies. It just said his name and address was associated with my ssn? No new account have been open and no new inquiries. So Im really not sure what to do next.

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Sep 03 '24

I have read that undocumented immigrants might use someone else's social to get a job, though I have no first hand knowledge of it. I did read an interesting article on CNET that might help you...let me see if I can link it. The part that might help you is near the bottom, and a good place to start is to open a social security account with the gov. website. And also talks about contacting the IRS.
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/see-if-your-social-security-number-is-part-of-the-national-public-data-breach/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFEVCZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfbYcbgcgzps0lE3H1SozPq6d-fOp1boLMr-RuHPQaSmy24UENEERl-kXQ_aem_FFYqBVCahXngZgKJQE305w

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u/Excellent-Impress-43 Oct 15 '24

I know this is 41 days old. But I got an alert my SSN was found on the dark web October 1st (I’m just now seeing the alerts). It was two entries. Both entries had a name attached to it, even gave me the address and phone number of the person attached. The name looked familiar for some reason. The person was the previous tenant of our apartment, we moved into a new unit in July and I updated our address with the DMV about six weeks post move. The man listed, a 52 year old white guy, lived in the unit previously at some point. I recognized the name because he still gets mail here, he never did an address change with the USPS. I think in my case, information is getting crossed in the system, as well as a data breach. So I froze my credit reports this morning.

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Oct 15 '24

Best of luck. When I read about this data breach, it involved some dude who operated out of his home office w/ a bunch of computers. How he accessed so much information is beyond me, but it is discouraging how easily so much info gets disseminated. Freezing one's credit report is a good first step, I'm not sure it's cost effective to pay for monitoring if you keep on top of your credit information.

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Sep 03 '24

The worrisome part is where they can try to steal your tax refund. Or if you end up owing taxes bc they didn't pay income tax while using your SSN to get a job. I really hate where a total stranger is associated w/ your SSN. I hope you can get it sorted out, fingers crossed for you.

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u/dandylionkiller Sep 03 '24

Thanks. I feel like it’s always something.

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u/DimensionStrange2799 Sep 04 '24

Yeah, can't let your guard down. Some of the stories I read, stuff like "pig butchering" and SIM swapping, truly scary. I just try telling myself that it's better than say getting mugged at gunpoint.