Can You Remove Your Phone Number From the Dark Web?

The 10 digits that make up your phone number are even more precious than you could ever imagine. And if your number ends up on the wrong side of the web, hackers and cybercriminals can use those digits for a variety of malicious crimes that can threaten or compromise your digital security. 

Data leaks and hacks are more common than you might think. The Identity Theft Resource Center reported 2,365 cyber attacks in 2023, with over 343 million victims affected. This was a 72% increase in attacks since 2021, which previously held the all-time high. 

So, what can you do if your phone number appears on the dark web? Read on to learn how you can take steps to minimize the damage done by a data leak and how to reduce the risk of future attacks. 

What Is the Dark Web? 

The dark web refers to the side of the Internet that is not accessible through regular search engines like Google and Yahoo. It’s primed for suspicious activity and is often used by cybercriminals to buy and sell sensitive information online. However there are some who may use the dark web legally to communicate with others anonymously. 

Dark web monitoring is more difficult than tracking online activity elsewhere on the internet, as all activity is routed through a random path of encrypted servers. This stops the surveillance that typically occurs on regular search engines and allows those who are using the dark web to hide their identity and location while online. 

How Does a Phone Number End Up on the Dark Web?

Though you may not be consciously aware of it, your phone number appears a lot online. Every time you make an online account, whether that be for social media, online stores like Amazon, or bank accounts, you will be prompted to add your phone number to the account. 

This is so the company or website can send you confirmation codes, use your number for two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication (MFA), have a way to contact you, and more. 

But every time you enter your number into a new account, you run the risk that the associated company mishandles your information, or that a data breach allows hackers access to your personal info. 

How Do I Know if My Number Is on the Dark Web?

You may not always know right away that your number has ended up on the dark web. Until someone actively begins using the information they’ve gathered from you, it might seem like everything is fine. 

Here are some signs that your number may be on the dark web: 

High Unknown Call Volume

One way to tell that your number has been leaked is if you start receiving a high number of unknown or scam calls. Scammers can buy your number through the dark web from cybercriminals and then call you in an attempt to carry out their scam. If your cell phone is blowing up with unwanted calls, your number might be on the dark web. 

Scam Calls and Texts

You might also receive odd texts or calls claiming to be from legitimate companies that ask for your personal information. This is called a phishing scam, which is when criminals ask for your personal info and usually act as though they are part of a real company. 

Password Reset and Account Info Requests

If you get emails asking to reset your username or password, or authenticator app requests that you did not initiate, someone might have access to your phone number and is attempting to get into your account. To be a fraud alert, the notification should always have an option to report that it’s not you who’s filing the request. 

Account Logouts

If you notice you’re logged out of a number of your accounts, this may indicate that someone has tried very hard to log in, but has been unsuccessful. Or they have been successful, and they changed the login info so you can’t get back in. 

How To Remove Your Number From the Dark Web

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to remove your number from the dark web. If hackers and cybercriminals already have access to it, you can’t just delete it from their records. 

But what you can do is use cybersecurity strategies, like limiting the number of times your number appears online, which will minimize the damage that can be done and will reduce the risk of a breach happening again. 

Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager

An easy way for criminals to access your personal data is by gaining access to the password you use for your account. If your phone is linked to your account number and they are able to log in, they now have your phone number, as well. 

By using strong passwords that have 16+ characters, including capital letters, special characters, and numbers, you help reduce the chances of your phone number and other info like your credit card number or social security number (SSN) ending up on the dark web. 

As amazing as we’re sure the first complex password you make will be, you shouldn’t use that password for everything. Password variety is also key, so hackers can’t access all of your accounts at once. 

It can be difficult to remember which passwords go to which accounts. Using a password manager program to organize your passwords will fix this concern and greatly boost your digital security. 

Remove Your Phone Number From Accounts

Not all accounts require you to attach a phone number; many are optional. By removing your number from unessential accounts, you reduce the risk of hackers gaining access to it. 

And if your number is already on the dark web, you help decrease the likelihood of hackers using your number to access those accounts since that number will no longer be attached. Here are some tips on how to remove your number from Google and social media accounts:

Removing Your Phone Number From Google

Apple Device: 

1. Open the Gmail app 
2. Click your profile icon
3. Go to Personal Info
4. Click Contact Info
5. Select Phone Number
6. Click the trash can icon to delete your number
7. Follow any additional prompts to complete the process

Android Device: 

1. Open the Settings app
2. Scroll down to Google
3. Click Manage Your Google Account
4. Click Personal Info
5. Tap the trash can icon next to your number
6. Follow any additional prompts to complete the process

Computer/Web Browser: 

1. Go to your Google account and log in (myaccount.google.com) 
2. Open the Personal Info tab on the left
3. Go to Contact Info
4. Click Phone Number
5. Tap the trash can icon to delete your number
6. Follow any additional prompts to complete the process
   

Removing Your Phone Number From Facebook

1. Open the Facebook app (or log in online) 
2. Click on your profile picture
3. Go to Settings and Privacy
4. Click Accounts Center
5. Select Personal Details
6. Click Contact Info
7. Tap the number you want to remove
8. Click Delete Number and Delete again to confirm

You should receive a confirmation email that your number has been removed. 

Removing Your Phone Number From Instagram

1. Open the Instagram app (or log in online)
2. Go to Profile
3. Click Edit Profile
4. Tap Personal Information Settings
5. Click Contact Info
6. Select your phone number
7. Hit Delete Number
   

Removing Your Phone Number From X (Twitter)

1. Open the X app (or log in online) 
2. Go to your Profile
3. Click Settings and Support
4. Hit Settings and Privacy
5. Go to Your Account
6. Click Account Information
7. Click your phone number
8. Choose Delete Phone Number and confirm
   

Removing Your Phone Number From TikTok

1. Open the TikTok app (or log in online) 
2. Go to your Profile
3. Click the three line button at the top
4. Click Settings and Privacy
5. Go to Account
6. Click User Information 
7. Tap Phone Number
8. Enter the verification code to confirm it’s you
9. Follow any additional prompts to complete the process

Some of these accounts will use your phone number to authenticate your identity if you’re logging in on a new device or haven’t been active in a while. If you remove your number from the account, you won’t be able to use this feature. 

Instead, you can direct the verification code to go to your email (ideally a secondary email rather than your main one). Or you can create and use a second phone number through an app like Burner. 

Use a VPN

You can use a Virtual Private Network for your everyday browsing to hide your location and online activity from potential onlookers. Anything that helps secure your digital activity will, in turn, help protect your number from being leaked. There are free or paid VPNs you can download and use to keep your personal data more protected from cyber attacks. 

Use a Second Phone Number

You can easily create a second phone number with an app like Burner and use that number in place of your real one when creating online accounts. A second number is a great security measure to take when strategizing about how to remove your phone number from the dark web. 

If you create a custom phone number and use that in place of your main one, any data leaks that occur through your social media platforms, online stores, and more will only leak your second number. And second numbers are much easier to replace. 

Apps like Burner allow you to access every notification sent to your second number on your main phone so if you do need to receive verification codes or you want to answer legitimate calls, you easily can. Try Burner phone today to experience the safety benefits of a second number. 

Use a Data Removal Service

There are removal services like Incogni, Onerep, and DeleteMe that are designed to search for your phone number and other sensitive data across the web and remove any traces they find. 

They do cost money, but can be an effective way to remove your number from unwanted places and help with identity theft protection. Make sure to do your research before using removal or monitoring services to make sure the company is legitimate and worth the cost. 

Keeping Your Number Off the Dark Web

So no, there isn’t a perfect, failsafe answer to removing your phone number from the dark web. However, there are a variety of effective cybersecurity strategies you can use to reduce the damage. 

These include: removing your number from accounts, using a second number, boosting and diversifying passwords, using a data removal service, using a VPN, and more. 

And of course, as a last resort, you can always get a new number. While extremely inconvenient, a new number will give you a clean slate and with the use of cybersecurity strategies, set you up for more success in the future.

Sources: 

How to Remove Your Phone Number From the Internet | Security.org

How to Remove Your Phone Number from the Dark Web (2024 Tips) | LinkedIn

What to do if your phone number is on the dark web [2024] | Incogni

Everything You Should Know About the Dark Web | tulane