Warning: that $40 'dark web scan' subscription is pure theater

Signed up for one of those identity protection dark web monitoring plans back in January after my email showed up in a breach. Paid $40 for the year thinking it would tell me when my stuff gets leaked. What actually happened? It found my old password from a 2018 Adobe breach that I already knew about and sent me 3 alerts about random forum accounts I forgot existed. Missed the actual problem which was a saved card number on a hacked shopping site. Found that one out from my bank 2 weeks later. The scan tools they use are public lists, not some secret FBI database. If you want real protection just use HaveIBeenPwned for free and turn on 2FA everywhere. Anyone else pay for one of these before realizing the free options are basically the same thing?