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Where My PII Is Sold

Your PII is a hot item in the dark web, the underground markets where hackers can illegally sell your
information. Depending on the information they extract from your emails, your PII can be sold for identity
fraud, fraudulent loans, counterfeit credit cards, money transfers, or even more complicated schemes
like blackmail and extortion.

A cybercriminal can use PII data for activities such as paying bills, performing fraudulent online
transactions, creating counterfeit credit cards for their own use, and transferring money out of a victims’
bank account.

What Can I Do to Protect My PII?

Your emails function as a type of online ID, which is why it’s so essential that you take great care to
secure PII data when communicating online. If you’re sending important documents like marriage
certificates or tax forms, make sure to encrypt the attachments—encryption will protect your information
and keep it from anyone other than the intended recipient. You should also encrypt emails if you feel like
there’s any relevant PII in the content. Even a name, address or phone number. Tracking and
postmarking electronic communication are also great ways to secure your emails to make sure they are
going where they should—and to whom they should.

According to a recent survey by Generali Global Assistance, 75% of online users are worried about online
identity theft. Yet surprisingly, another survey by TransUnion showed that only 15% of consumers believe
they have the proper tools to protect their personal data. Thankfully, the tools are definitely out there. If
you’re ready to protect yourself from online threats, look for a trustworthy secure email service with the
ability to track and encrypt all your emails. Your PII—and your online identity—will thank you.

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