No longer is it a question of if but when your personal data will be compromised, and unfortunately, the worst-case scenario has officially been confirmed. In April 2024, the hacker group USDoD reportedly stole 2.9 billion personal records from National Public Data (NPD). This breach includes the full names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and phone numbers of every American. This is one of the largest data breaches ever recorded, and your personal information may now be sold on the dark web to the highest bidder.

How This Breach Affects You?

Everyone’s personal information is on the dark web or will be soon. The dark web is a part of the web where cybercriminals and hackers buy and sell things such as personal information. Your personal information is then used to commit a variety of crimes such as identity fraud, financial fraud, tax fraud, credit fraud, medical ID fraud, or even home & auto title fraud. 

Unfortunately it is impossible to have your information scrubbed off the dark web. It’s not a matter of if but of when someone will use your private information to try and commit a crime. While the situation for every American has become very concerning there are several things you can do to help reduce the impact these crimes can have.

5 Tips to Protect Yourself From Data Breaches

1 – Get dark web monitoring

Dark web monitoring is essential in knowing when your data has been exposed in a breach and when a cybercriminal is trying to use your data to commit fraud. You can use that information to prevent and address potential fraud helping protect your identity and finances.

2 – Monitor your credit

Credit monitoring can alert you immediately of any unusual activity, such as new account openings, significant purchases, or changes to your credit report. By receiving these notifications as soon as they occur, you can quickly identify and address potential fraud or unauthorized transactions, helping to protect your credit score and financial health.

3 – Remove your info from data broker sites

Data brokers buy, store and sell your information to telemarketing companies and scammers. Data brokers many times obey the law and will delete their records of your information if asked to. There are tools that will locate the data brokers with your information and request they delete it for you, helping to protect your data.

4 – Consider a credit freeze

A credit freeze is an easy way to prevent credit fraud from occurring as nobody will be able to open a new line of credit or take out a loan in your name. To freeze your credit simply get in touch with your credit bureau or do it online through their website. 

5 – Get ID theft protection

ID theft protection will monitor for your information being used as fraud and help you recover from an incident. Good ID theft protection comes with $1m in theft insurance and restoration specialists to do the hard work for you. By getting ID theft protection you can better defend against cybercriminals who are looking to exploit you. 

To guard yourself digitally is paramount for protecting yourself and your family from the escalating threats posed by cybercriminals. Data breaches, unfortunately, have become commonplace, with cyberattackers using increasingly sophisticated tactics. To counter these evolving threats, individuals must adopt proactive measures to secure their personal information.

While implementing recommended security practices is essential, it may not provide comprehensive protection against the relentless efforts of cybercriminals. To achieve a higher level of security and peace of mind, investing in a robust digital protection service such as iDefend is highly recommended.

iDefend Can Help!

Good news for current iDefend customers – you are covered against data breaches. Watch for alerts and sign into your iDefend account to make sure all your monitored information is up to date.  

While everyone should have a complete home and family digital defense service, not everyone has the time or expertise to do it on their own. iDefend protects your identity, removes your personal information from the web, and scans the dark web, while protecting your identity, your money, and your credit.

Learn more and get protected today. Try iDefend risk free and save 30%.