How to Check If Your Personal Information Has Been Leaked Online

Find out if your email, password, or personal data appears in known data breaches — and what to do about it.

In this guide (6 steps):

1.Understand what a data breach is
2.Check your email on Have I Been Pwned
3.Check if your passwords are compromised
4.Search for your username across the web
5.Check for your address and phone number
6.What to do if your information was leaked

Understand what a data breach is

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A data breach happens when hackers steal information from a company's database. Millions of emails, passwords, names, and addresses get stolen and sold on the dark web. Even the biggest companies like Facebook, Yahoo, and Target have had breaches. The good news: you can check if your information is in a leaked database.

Check your email on Have I Been Pwned

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Go to haveibeenpwned.com and type in your email address. Press Enter. This website will tell you if your email appears in any known data breach. If it says "Good news — no pwnage found," you are not in any known breaches. If it finds your email, it will show you which companies were breached.

Quick Tip

Have I Been Pwned is completely free and trusted by millions of people. It was created by security expert Troy Hunt and does not collect your personal information.

Check if your passwords are compromised

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If your email appears in a breach, change your password for that service immediately. Go to the company's website (like Facebook, Gmail, etc.) and create a new password. Use a strong password: at least 12 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols. If you used that same password on other accounts, change those too.

Search for your username across the web

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Some hackers sell leaked data with usernames instead of just emails. Search your username in Google to see if it appears on data dump websites or dark web forums. If you see your username on a suspicious site, assume your information has been leaked.

Check for your address and phone number

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Visit haveibeenpwned.com again and scroll down to "Pastes." If your phone number or home address appears in leaked data, be careful — scammers might call or mail you offers. Do not give any information to unsolicited callers claiming to be from a company you know.

What to do if your information was leaked

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First, change your passwords on important accounts (email, banking, social media). Consider using a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password to create and store strong, unique passwords. Second, watch your bank and credit card statements for fraud. You can freeze your credit for free with the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to prevent identity theft. Finally, check your credit report annually at annualcreditreport.com for any accounts opened in your name.

Warning

If you see accounts opened in your name on your credit report, contact the company and the FTC immediately. Do not ignore it — identity theft can take years to fix.

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