What makes the internet so amazing is also what makes it dangerous: it’s global. On one hand, you can sell products to people in the U.K., EU, U.S., Canada and countless other locations. On the other hand, this global reach means hackers can attack from practically anywhere, including North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. To safeguard your identity against so many potential threats, you need the help of modern technology — specifically, dark web monitoring.
What Is ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring?
Dark web monitoring services constantly watch over your personal data online, probing the depths of the darknet to look for leaked info. ID Screen keeps tabs on bank account numbers, credit cards, email addresses and other data. If someone steals your credit card details and tries to sell the info on the darknet, for example, we can discover it right away.
In many ways, darknet monitoring is similar to a home or business security system. Alarms may not prevent a break-in, but they can tell you immediately when and where criminals strike. That way, you can take action to protect your identity, such as reporting the theft and changing your credentials.
ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring: Understanding the Dark Web
You probably use the internet every day, perhaps to shop for goods or learn about the news. What you see from your web browser is only the tip of the iceberg, though. Underneath the surface, the internet has a huge network of encrypted websites. This network is the dark web or the darknet.
Only skilled users with certain browsers can explore the dark web. Due to the encrypted nature of transactions, illegal activities are common. The darknet includes marketplaces where people buy and sell stolen goods, credit card info, bank account numbers, Social Security numbers and other hacked information.
ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring: The Connection Between the Dark Web and Identity Theft
If you’ve ever shopped for clothing through online retailers such as Amazon, you know how many competing sellers there can be. Buyers can find what they want quickly and order it instantly.
The dark web is similar, except the products are stolen data. Sellers post bank credit card numbers, business credentials or Social Security numbers by the dozens. If other criminals get their hands on your data, they can try to extort you or steal your assets.
Why Is ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring Important?
Hackers and criminals never sleep, so you can’t afford to rest easy when it comes to your data. You need a source of 24/7 security for your identity online.
Of course, there’s no way you can monitor your information constantly yourself. The last thing you need is more stress when you’re trying to provide for your family or run a business. Dark web monitoring can keep watch over your personal data automatically, letting you focus on the things you enjoy instead.
Identity theft and cybercrime are serious threats to people in the U.K. and around the world. The numbers are staggering:
- In just one year, about 5.7 million people in the U.K. were victims of identity fraud.
- Almost 10% of smartphone users in the U.K. have been targets of identity theft.
- Over 40% of cases of identity fraud affected bank accounts, and almost 30% involved credit cards.
- In the U.S., there were over 1.4 million cases of identity theft and nearly 2.8 million cases of identity fraud.
What’s even more concerning is that the statistics continue to increase steadily. Data protection isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s essential.
How Does ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring Work?
As an example, imagine that hackers steal your email login credentials and sell them on the darknet. The criminals who purchase those credentials want to use them to access other parts of your business, such as online banking info or employee email addresses for phishing attempts.
With darknet monitoring, you can find out about the attack right away. You can simply change your login info or close down the compromised email account quickly. Fast action can save your personal or business identity and help you avoid massive losses.
It’s important to understand the difference between dark web monitoring from ID Screen and darknet scanning services offered by some credit agencies. Darknet scanning involves a one-time search of the dark web to see if your personal details have been leaked. This is somewhat useful, but by the time you discover any problems, the damage has probably already been done.
On the other hand, monitoring services continually and expertly infiltrate the dark web. They track your protected details in real time. If a data breach happens, ID Screen can alert you quickly. That way, you have time to mitigate the fallout and prevent further attacks.
Who Needs ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring Services?
Put simply, anyone who is worried about identity theft should seriously consider dark web monitoring services. The kind of people and businesses that hackers target may shock you. Even everyday families with relatively little money in their bank accounts can be victims of identity theft.
ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring for Manufacturing Companies
A common misconception about data theft is that hackers are lone wolves out to get rich quickly. In reality, identity fraud often involves highly organised criminal enterprises.
Selling credit card info isn’t the only way organised crime works. Groups may also extort businesses. After locking down essential data, hackers ask for a ransom payment and threaten to destroy records otherwise.
This type of scheme can severely handicap manufacturers in any sector. Being forced to pause operations or losing access to client contracts can decimate revenue. Darknet monitoring can help prevent ransom attacks and phishing campaigns.
ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring for Small Business Owners
You might think that small businesses are so insignificant that hackers would ignore them. Sadly, that’s not the case. Criminal organisations have no empathy for hardworking small business owners. These groups have a single objective: to get any amount of money as quickly and easily as possible.
Small businesses generally have a smaller security budget, sometimes even relying on free antivirus programmes. Older business owners may not fully understand internet platforms, either, potentially increasing the risk of online data scams.
Fortunately, entrepreneurs are also intelligent. With help from information security professionals, small businesses can stay safe. At ID Screen, we’ve helped thousands of owners develop smarter data security habits.
ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring for CEOs
Business executives are an especially attractive target for dark web hackers. CEOs have at least three things that criminals want:
- Access: Stealing a CEO’s identity can provide access to company bank accounts, business records and other secure files.
- Information: If business executives keep data about negotiations, company products or finances on personal devices, hackers can use a CEO’s credentials to steal company secrets.
- Money: Generally speaking, CEOs have large amounts of money in personal bank accounts, investments and other assets.
Securing personal and business accounts with a trustworthy antivirus is vital. So is implementing the best data security practises, such as multi-factor authentication.
That said, these measures aren’t enough. CEOs need the round-the-clock vigilance that ID Screen dark web monitoring provides. If something gets through the net, it’s urgent to act immediately.
ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring for Colleges and Educators
You’re probably surprised to learn that educators are frequent targets of identity theft. They aren’t exactly known for having lucrative incomes, so why are schools and teachers in the crosshairs of hackers?
For one thing, educators and educational institutions have records of private info for thousands of enrolled students. One report estimates that a child’s Social Security number can sell for as much as $300 on the dark web. Considering the lax data security at many schools, educators can look like easy pickings for hackers.
Gaining a teacher’s credentials is simply one step in a larger objective. Still, any identity theft can have devastating effects on the teacher’s personal and professional life.
How Can ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring Help You Protect Your Identity?
Our darknet monitoring services can keep tabs constantly on important personal info, such as bank accounts or credit cards. We’re like an experienced group of undercover operatives. Our cutting-edge tech scours dark web marketplaces day and night for any sign of your data.
Imagine that a criminal gets ahold of your credit card info, for example. Thinking that you’re just another victim, the hacker posts your data on the dark web. The instant that the credit card number appears, we know about it, and you receive an alert.
That way, you can cancel the stolen credit card before anyone has the chance to buy or use it. Afterwards, you can take steps to figure out how your info leaked, shore up your defences and avoid similar problems in the future.
What Are the Benefits of ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring?
Professional darknet monitoring services can help you stay in control of your data online. In addition to enjoying greater peace of mind, you can benefit in practical ways.
Speed
When hackers steal vital personal or business information, you need to act quickly. The faster you can freeze accounts, contact credit card bureaus or change passwords, the less damage criminals can do to your identity. With technology monitoring the dark web, you can respond in minutes to a breach instead of finding out after it’s too late.
Convenient Monitoring
If you wanted to search the darknet yourself for signs of ID theft, you would first need to use a virtual private network, configure a special browser and arm yourself with a serious suite of security tools. With ID Screen’s dark web monitoring, you don’t have to lift a finger. You can see information safety reports quickly and easily.
Scalable Tools
Darknet monitoring services aren’t just for individual users. Business owners can also use these tools on an organisational level. That way, you’re not leaving your company’s data up to chance. You can’t see how your employees use their devices 24/7, but you can keep an eye on your business’s sensitive accounts, bank information and email addresses.
Proactive Data Security
Darknet monitoring is like an insurance policy. It’s something you hope you never need, but it can save your skin if worst-case scenarios end up happening. Hacking attempts and phishing scams are much too common for comfort.
True, antivirus tools are a powerful piece of digital “armour” against hackers, but they’re not invulnerable. People and companies can make mistakes that result in data breaches, as several high-profile cases from the U.S. have already shown.
Criminals are constantly adapting to modern security and looking for exploits. You need to prepare for “what if” right away.
Why Choose ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring Services?
At ID Screen, we have over a decade of successfully protecting clients in the U.K. from identity theft. We’ve flagged over 45,000 security breaches, helping our customers move swiftly to mitigate the effects of phishing attacks and other online dangers. With over 32,000 satisfied clients, we have a reputation that speaks for itself. There are many reasons why we stand out in the data theft prevention industry:
- 24/7 data monitoring: Our tech never rests. It constantly searches the darknet to keep your sensitive data safe.
- Wide range of protection: We can monitor multiple debit cards, credit cards, bank accounts and email addresses simultaneously, up to 40 in total.
- Real-time alerts: Our early warning system tells you instantly when your information shows up on the darknet.
- Over six million dark web locations: Our surveillance infiltrates millions of unique darknet sites, including marketplaces and discussion boards.
Not only can darknet monitoring help you stop identity theft, but it can also let you know when criminals are planning further attacks on your systems.
How Can You Get Started With ID Screen Dark Web Monitoring?
Discovering the existence of the darknet for the first time can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, you don’t need to face the risks alone. At ID Screen, our friendly, expert team is happy to help you. Contact us at 0330 3502531 to learn more about our dark web monitoring services, or sign up right away.
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