Now that 2.9 billion records, including full names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, have reportedly been leaked on the dark web as a result of a data breach at the background-check company National Public Data, many consumers likely have questions and concerns about keeping their identity safe. With that in mind, the personal-finance website WalletHub has some advice for how potential victims can safeguard their personal information.
 
You can check them out below:
 

1. Sign up for 24/7 credit monitoring – This will allow you to promptly discover any attempts to open an account using your identity. For instance, WalletHub provides free 24/7 monitoring of your TransUnion credit report.
    
2. Activate Two-Factor Authentication – It's best to update the passwords for your email and financial accounts and activate two-factor authentication. This will make it more difficult for fraudsters to gain unauthorized access to other areas of your life.
    
3. A Freeze Is More Effective Than an Alert – To best protect yourself from unauthorized borrowing, freeze your three primary credit reports - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This action will ensure that only you can access them, making it impossible for others to take out a loan or line of credit. On the other hand, a fraud alert doesn't provide substantial protection.
    
4. Suppress Fraudulent Info – Although you can dispute routine inaccuracies in your credit report, it's better to utilize a process known as "suppression" or "blocking" to eliminate negative information resulting from identity theft. Simply put, this prevents removed records from resurfacing.
    
5. Don’t Respond to Unsolicited Requests for Information – If you notice an increase in unsolicited calls and emails asking for personal information, remember: Only respond if you have expressly requested to be contacted.
    
6. Consider premium identity protection – Free measures can only provide limited identity protection. Given the frequency of security breaches and the advanced methods used by fraudsters, it's worth considering premium identity protection features such as identity theft insurance, premium identity alerts, and access to identity restoration specialists.