A Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number that the U.S. government issues to all U.S. citizens and eligible U.S. residents who apply for one. The government uses this number to keep track of your lifetime earnings and the number of years worked.
Does Everyone Have To Have a Social Security Number? Essentially, yes. You need a Social Security number to apply for a job or a credit card, and you can't collect Social Security benefits in retirement or obtain some other government services without having one.
The Social Security number is a nine-digit number in the format "AAA-GG-SSSS".
Area Number
The first set of three digits is called the Area Number. The second set of two digits is called the Group Number. The final set of four digits is the Serial Number.
As long as a hacker or scammer has access to other personal information such as your name and address, they can use the last four digits of your SSN (in most cases) to open accounts in your name, steal your money and government benefits, or even get healthcare and tax refunds in your name.
The Social Security Administration does allow you to change your number, but only under limited circumstances, such as identity theft or if your safety is in danger. You will also need to supply appropriate documentation to support your application for a new number.
To see if your Social Security number is being used by someone else for employment purposes, review your Social Security Statement at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to look for suspicious activity. Finally, you'll want to use additional scrutiny by regularly checking your bank and credit card accounts online.
A dishonest person who has your Social Security number can use it to get other personal information about you. Identity thieves can use your number and your good credit to apply for more credit in your name. Then, when they use the credit cards and don't pay the bills, it damages your credit.
Your Social Security number is also used to file your taxes in most cases. Someone who has your SSN can file a fraudulent tax return in your name to be able to claim a refund or stimulus money. You often don't know that a fraudulent tax return has been filed until you go to file your own.
If you provided a scammer with your Social Security Number directly, or you already think your number was used fraudulently, you will need to act more urgently. You can place a credit freeze on your account with the three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Transunion and Experian. Fraud alert.
If your personal information is spotted on the dark web, it could mean someone took the information without your permission. Criminals steal information in a variety of ways. Some try hacking into accounts or using malware to capture passwords. Others attempt to collect information through phishing scams and SIM swaps.
If you notice lapses, even if they are small, and you are certain you've taken every step you can to prevent theft, then chances are your information may be on the dark web. One great way is to check your bank accounts and email accounts to see signs for unusual activity.
Identities and locations of darknet users stay anonymous and cannot be tracked due to the layered encryption system. The darknet encryption technology routes users' data through a large number of intermediate servers, which protects the users' identity and guarantees anonymity.
The dark web is where stolen information, such as bank account numbers and SSNs, is sold—often many times. Information that is not accessible by normal internet browsers. Information that you would normally find on search engines.
Simply put, no it is not illegal to access the dark web. In fact, some uses are perfectly legal and support the value of the “dark web.” On the dark web, users can seek out three clear benefits from its use: User anonymity. Virtually untraceable services and sites.
the Tor network
When you go on the dark web, data is stored internally on the Tor network. All Tor addresses end in . onion, and it can be tough to find information, with Onion sites sometimes disappearing within hours.
A top level Internet domain used by anonymous websites on the Dark Web. Access to onion sites is via the Tor browser. See Dark Web, Tor and OnionLand Search Engine. Onion Website Addresses. Hardly user friendly, onion addresses are not registered with the Internet's domain name system (see DNS).