Data leaks and the dark web: How to protect your identity in Canada
Samantha Kohn, Freelance Blogger
* This article is sponsored by Equifax.
Has this ever happened to you? You get an email from your bank with a subject line that makes your heart sink: “Important Notice About a Data Breach.” You discover your bank was hacked, resulting in a data breach — and your personal information was likely exposed. This is concerning because criminals can use stolen information to commit identity fraud, such as attempting to take out a loan or a credit card in your name.
Unfortunately, fraud is on the rise in Canada. In 2024, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) received 108,878 reports, including at least 34,621 victims of fraud. Reported losses totalled $638 million, a whopping $60 million more than in 2023. The most reported type of fraud? Identity fraud.
When data leaks happen, criminals can put your information on the dark web, increasing your risk of being targeted for a scam. There are ways to protect yourself and keep an eye out for future threats.
What is the dark web?
The dark web is like the back alley of the internet. It’s a collection of websites, forums and marketplaces that are hidden from regular search engines and only accessible with specialized software that keeps users anonymous. While not everything on the dark web is illegal, it does house marketplaces where criminals trade stolen personal and financial details, often obtained from data leaks.
The most common types of stolen information bought and sold by criminals on the dark web include:
- Credit card numbers
- Banking details
- Social Insurance Numbers (SINs)
- Driver’s licence numbers
- Passwords for online accounts (like social media)
What can happen if your identity is stolen?
If a criminal gets your personal or financial information, they may use it to commit ID fraud in Canada. Here are a few possibilities:
- Pretend to be you to apply for credit cards, loans or government benefits under your name.
- Drain your bank account, rack up charges on your credit card or access your retirement savings.
- Hijack your social media or email, lock you out of your accounts, and use those platforms to trick your friends or family into sending them money.
- Impersonate you on social media or in online forums, harming your reputation.
Dealing with identity theft can be very stressful, but you can take steps to protect yourself and limit the damage.
How to recover from identity theft
If you believe your identity’s been stolen, or if you spot suspicious activity in your bank or credit accounts, report it right away.
- Notify your local police.
- Call your financial institutions so they can freeze or close any compromised accounts.
- Contact Canada’s credit bureaus, including Equifax, to place fraud alerts on your credit reports.
- File a report with the CAFC.
- If there’s a chance your SIN has been used for fraudulent tax filings or benefits applications, contact the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Taking these steps as early as possible can help you shut down the thieves before more damage is done.
Next, focus on boosting your online security. Follow best practices for account passwords, such as using complex combinations of letters, numbers and symbols; using a password management tool; and opting for multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible. Be cautious about what you share on social media. For example, don’t answer quizzes that ask for details like your pet’s name and hometown — scammers can use this info to crack passwords and answer security questions to access your accounts.
featured product
Equifax Complete Protection is a credit and cybersecurity protection service designed to help Canadians spot the signs of identity fraud faster.
Provides daily credit monitoring and alerts
Scans for your personal data on the dark web
Social media monitoring by industry leader ZeroFox
Subscription price
$34.95 per month
Prevent ID fraud with Equifax Complete Protection
For additional peace of mind, subscribe to Equifax Complete™ Protection. It’s a multi-layered credit and cybersecurity service that includes features like:
- Daily credit monitoring and alerts
- Social media monitoring from ZeroFox
- Password manager from Nord
- Device protection from Bitdefender
- A dedicated identity restoration specialist
- Identity theft insurance up to $1 million
- Dark web monitoring with WebScan
How WebScan works
WebScan is simple to use. You provide the information — like your credit card numbers, email address, bank account numbers, passport number or SIN — and WebScan will search dark-web forums and marketplaces for any matches. If it spots your data, you’ll receive an alert, giving you the chance to reset passwords, cancel cards or contact the authorities. Dark web monitoring helps you limit the damage of ID theft, because the sooner you know about suspicious activity, the faster you can protect yourself.
The bottom line
When a data leak happens, criminals can exploit your information in many ways, including selling it on the dark web. Fortunately, there are ways to fight back, including Equifax Complete Protection, which comes with dark web monitoring.
A little vigilance and the right tools can make a big difference in keeping your personal data safe — before and after trouble strikes.
Get more details about Equifax Complete Protection today.