Email Found on the Dark Web? Here’s How To Protect Yourself

What Should You Do If Your Email Is on the Dark Web?

If your email was found on the Dark Web after a data breach, you won’t be able to remove it. Instead, you should focus on securing your online accounts, finances, and personal information before malicious actors can gain access to them. 

Here’s what to do:

• Update your accounts with unique and complex passwords
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible
• Check your financial statements for signs of fraud
• Freeze or lock your credit, if needed
• Do a full Dark Web scan to check for other exposed data

A leaked email address will also almost certainly lead to increased phishing emails and other social engineering scams — which is why it’s so important that you stay vigilant and question any unfamiliar emails.

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How To Find Out If Your Email Is on the Dark Web

If your email address is circulating on the Dark Web, it’s most likely due to a data breach. 

In May 2024, hackers claimed they had stolen the personal records of 560 million Ticketmaster customers, including email addresses [*]. This attack is just one of many recent major data breaches, as more and more cybercriminals steal consumer data from companies before selling it on the Dark Web. 

While most companies are legally required to send out data breach notifications to impacted customers, there are other ways to proactively see if your email was part of a recent leak:

• Use a free Dark Web scanner. Services like Aura’s Dark Web scanner or HaveIBeenPwned check to see if your email address or passwords have been compromised in any data breaches.
• Install a browser scanner. A data breach scanner like Firefox Monitor can provide continuous monitoring, and inform you if your email address is involved in any new data breaches. ‍
• Sign up for a 24/7 Dark Web monitoring service. A Dark Web monitoring provider like Aura searches for all of your sensitive information on the Dark Web — including your phone number, passwords, Social Security number (SSN), and banking details — and will send you notifications if anything is leaked.

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What To Do If Your Email Is Circulating on the Dark Web

1. Change your passwords

If you use the same email address to sign up for multiple accounts and services, scammers can use your leaked address to find more information about you on the Dark Web — and discover other, more sensitive compromised accounts.

Update all of your passwords to make them: 

• Unique: Ensure that each password is only used for one account. This will prevent a single leak from giving scammers access to multiple accounts.
• Long: Create passwords that include at least 10–13 characters in order to protect against brute force attacks.
• Complex: Combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols so that your passwords are harder for hackers to guess or crack.

A password manager makes creating and storing unique login credentials much easier, as you’ll only need to remember one single, secure master password to access your login credentials for any site. 

💡 Related: How Do Password Managers Work? →

2. Enable 2FA on all of your online accounts

One of the best ways to block scammers from gaining access to online accounts is to enable two- or multi-factor authentication (2FA or MFA).

This is a cybersecurity measure that requires a secondary form of authentication before you can log in to an account — such as a special code sent to your phone. Most scammers will give up on hacking an account that has 2FA enabled because it entails too much work. 

Pro tip: Use an authenticator app, such as Authy or Google Authenticator. Scammers can use what’s called a SIM swap attack to gain access to your phone number and intercept 2FA codes sent there. An authenticator app is much more secure. 

3. Review your account statements and credit reports

Scammers may try to use your email address to gain access to your bank accounts, credit, or other financial accounts. Review your statements regularly for signs of fraud after a data breach. 

You can also get free copies of your credit reports from all three bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com (or after submitting a fraud alert or credit freeze request).

💡 Related: What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed Out Of Money →

4. Do a full Dark Web scan to see what other information was leaked

A free Dark Web scanner can give you an idea of which email addresses and passwords have been compromised — but it won’t tell you what other sensitive data of yours may be circulating on the Dark Web.

Aura’s Dark Web monitoring service will constantly monitor hacker forums and illicit marketplaces for your personal data — including credit card numbers, bank account details, SSNs, and tax information.

5. Consider signing up for identity theft protection

If you’ve completed all of these steps but still feel like you need more security, an identity theft protection provider like Aura can help put your mind at ease.

Aura combines award-winning identity theft protection and three-bureau credit monitoring with robust Dark Web monitoring, digital security tools to protect against malware and hacking, 24/7 U.S.-based support, and up to $5 million in insurance coverage against eligible expenses and losses due to identity theft. 

Here are a few things that Aura can do for you:

• Monitor the Dark Web for any leaked personal data. Aura uses artificial intelligence (AI) to scan millions of pages, forums, and marketplaces on the Dark Web. You’ll receive fast Dark Web alerts in near real-time if any of your personal information has been leaked.
• Monitor public records for your name, driver’s license, SSN, and other sensitive information. With Aura, you’ll be able to quickly find out if cybercriminals are using your identity or if your SSN is on the Dark Web.
• Remove your personal details from data broker lists. Data brokers collect and sell your data, which is often how it falls into the hands of scammers. Aura checks hundreds of broker databases — and requests that your personal information be removed.

Best of all, you can try Aura free for 14 days to scan the Dark Web, protect against hacking and phishing attacks, and see if it’s right for you. 

Can You Remove Your Email Address From the Dark Web?

Unfortunately, no. Once your email address has been leaked, there’s really no way to remove it from the Dark Web. 

The best thing you can do is understand exactly what information has been compromised and then take action to update your online security — such as by creating new, strong passwords and enabling 2FA.

Beyond those steps, consider the following advanced measures to protect your accounts and identity:

• Freeze or lock your credit with all three bureaus. You can prevent scammers from opening new accounts in your name by freezing your credit. To put this temporary security measure in place, contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually by calling the phone numbers below:
  • Equifax: 1-800-685-1111
  • Experian: 1-888-397-3742
  • TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872
• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at IdentityTheft.gov. Include your identity information and as many details as possible about the potential data exposure on the Dark Web. The FTC will provide you with an official Identity Theft Affidavit and a personalized recovery plan.
• File a police report with local law enforcement. You can clear your name of any false charges by making a statement to confirm you are a victim of identity theft. Request to speak with the officer in charge of the fraud department to make an official police report. You’ll be asked to provide your FTC affidavit and all supporting evidence.

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How To Keep Your Personal Information Off of the Dark Web

Data breaches are at an all-time high [*], meaning most people are at risk of having their information leaked. The best way to protect yourself and your family is to prevent hackers from getting your information in the first place. 

Here are a few steps that you can take to stay safe:

• Use an email alias. An email alias is a secondary email account that routes to your primary inbox. When signing up for new accounts or filling out surveys or applications, this option lets you protect your primary address — and avoid risking the security of any linked accounts and information. Some email providers, such as Gmail, allow you to create aliases by modifying your email address to alternatives such as youremail+some-alias@gmail.com.
• Use a password manager. A robust password manager makes it easy to create and store complex, unique passwords for every account.
• Use antivirus software. Reliable protection software helps prevent, detect, and remove malware and malicious programs from your devices before hackers can steal your personally identifiable information (PII). 
• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN allows you to hide your IP address and browse securely — and is especially vital to protecting your online privacy if you’re connected to the internet via unsecured public Wi-Fi networks (like at hotels, restaurants, or other public places).
• Reduce your online footprint. Be extremely intentional about what you share on social media. You should also restrict your privacy settings on your social media accounts and remove sensitive information from search engines.
• Stay alert to phishing scams. Question all suspicious or unknown senders, and never click on links or download attachments in emails or text messages.
• Look out for signs of fraud. Regularly review your credit reports, bank accounts,  and credit card statements for suspicious activity. Use tools like a Dark Web scanner and a reliable credit monitoring service to alert you about compromised data and accounts in real-time.

Stop scammers from stealing your identity. Try Aura free for 14 days.