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In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission logged over 1.4 million reports of identity theft in the U.S. That’s one case of identity theft for roughly every 231 Americans, and that figure only includes what gets reported — the full incidence of identity theft is estimated to be much higher.
Here is our selection of the top identity theft protection services, and what you can expect from each one. Most services also offer a free trial so you can test them out before buying.
Compare the best identity theft protection services
Cost: $23.95 per month or $239.50 per year
UltraSecure+Credit is a product of TransUnion, but the +Credit plan also reports from Experian and Equifax. It offers broad monitoring capability that includes social media accounts, mobile device scanning, and dark web data analysis, and can alert you of suspicious activity in your banking and investment accounts in addition to credit-related fraud.
On top of the standard security tools mentioned above, IdentityForce features an online vault for storing sensitive digital documents and medical ID fraud protection to ensure your medical benefits aren’t being used illicitly. IdentityForce also offers an entry-level plan with most of the same features apart from credit monitoring, which is a good fit for anyone who already has that base covered.
Cost: $19.95 per month
Three Bureau Individual Plan offers comparable protection to IdentityForce, and at a lower price if you’re paying monthly. You’ll get all the essentials like three-bureau credit monitoring, alerts, and a variety of cybersecurity and device protection tools. The few features IDShield lacks (like junk mail removal) aren’t essential, so going without them is a reasonable tradeoff if cost is a priority.
One negative of IDShield is that it tends to get lower marks for its interface; if that deters you from using the security features, then whatever you save in monthly fees is nullified. This is a well-rounded plan, but one you should test out with the 30-day free trial before you buy.
Cost: Couple Plan (covers two members) $29 per month or $264 per year; Family Plan (covers five members) $50 per month or $444 per year
Aura provides fewer monitoring services than IdentityForce and IDShield — it doesn’t include social media, for example — but it still offers well-rounded protection with monitoring of all three credit bureaus and the standard security tools, as well as email aliases to reduce spam and exposure to data breaches.
Aura shines brightest with its couple and family plans, which provide the same protections for additional members (children or adults) at what amounts to a heavily discounted cost per person. Aura’s family plan also offers some parental controls for mobile and other devices.
Cost: $9.99 per month
This plan offers incomplete protection — notably, it doesn’t include credit reporting from any of the major credit bureaus — but most gaps in coverage can be filled using other tools that are available for free. PrivacyGuard Identity Protection provides a lot of services that are harder to replicate without paying, like dark web scanning and public records monitoring.
You’ll also get security tools to secure your browser and keyboard. The tradeoff is that this plan has a much lower price, which makes it an inexpensive way to fill gaps in other coverage you might be getting for free.
Cost: From $8.99 or $13.99 per month with a Costco membership
Complete ID is exclusively available to Costco members, and like many deals at Costco, the price is hard to beat. Every plan offers monitoring from all three credit bureaus, digital privacy tools like a password manager and VPN, and restoration services with 24/7 support.
Like Aura, Complete ID’s monitoring services are less extensive than IdentityForce and IDShield, but the essentials are covered. Couple and family plans come at an even lower cost per person; for example, the two-adult plan is $15.99 per month (less than individual plans from most other services). If you’re already a Costco member and looking for identity theft protection, give Complete ID a look.
Should you buy identity theft protection?
Having some degree of identity theft protection is prudent, but you don’t have to pay for it. Many of the features offered by identity theft protection services are available for free, such as credit monitoring, fraud alerts for credit card and bank accounts, and security tools like password management.
That said, employing and keeping track of multiple free services demands greater effort and expertise; identity theft protection services are a better solution if you want to minimize hassle and don’t mind paying for the convenience.
Steps you can take to protect your identity online
Regardless of what services you use, you can do a lot to protect your personal information by practicing good data hygiene and staying vigilant about how your information is used and distributed. Simple steps like using strong passwords and antivirus software, securing your personal mail, and regularly reviewing account statements for suspicious activity will help you both prevent and detect identity theft.
Those practices combined with well-rounded identity theft protection will greatly reduce the risk of having your personal information compromised.
What is identity theft?
Identity theft occurs when someone else steals your personal information. An identity thief armed with your personal and financial data could divert payments intended for you, open a loan or line of credit in your name, file a fraudulent tax return on your behalf, or even alter deeds and titles to try and take ownership of your property. The average loss suffered by identity theft victims is on the order of $1,000, but losses can be far more severe and are difficult to recoup in any amount.
The good news is that since identity theft tends to be a crime of opportunity, you can reduce the risk of having your identity stolen by simply making yourself less of a target. There are many steps you can take to secure your own identity and other personal information, but if doing it yourself seems daunting, identity theft protection services can help.
What identity theft protection can (and can’t) do for you
Protecting your identity and other sensitive personal information is a lot like protecting your home against fire. Most houses have fire prevention measures baked into their design, including fire-resistant materials and landscaping, and proximity to a fire hydrant. You should have early detection and alert systems like smoke, heat, or flame detectors, as well as suppression systems like fire extinguishers and sprinklers. Hopefully, you observe basic fire safety protocols like storing flammable materials properly and not leaving open flames unattended. Finally, you should have fire insurance to protect yourself financially.
None of those measures guarantees your house won’t catch fire, but collectively they mitigate the risk and extent of fire damage. Similarly, identity theft protection doesn’t guarantee your personal information will remain secure, but it reduces the likelihood you’ll experience the worst outcomes of having your identity stolen.
Like fire protection, identity theft protection isn’t a single measure, but an array of complementary measures designed to safeguard your personal information.
Types of identity theft protection
Common features offered by identity theft protection companies generally fit into one of the following three categories:
Monitoring and alerts — Given how quickly stolen data can be put to ill use, early detection and warning are critical to minimizing damage. Identity theft detection companies monitor your personal information for suspicious activity and notify you when something is amiss. What you get varies among companies and plans, but commonly includes monitoring of credit reports, social security numbers, property and court records, and more.Security tools — While security measures aren’t foolproof, your data is less vulnerable if you take basic precautions. To that end, identity theft protection often provides tools like anti-virus and malware protection, a virtual private network (VPN) for safe browsing, password management, and more.Recovery — When your personal information has been compromised, identity theft protection can help you limit further damage by freezing your credit and securing accounts that were exposed. It can also help you through the process of restoring your identity and cover related expenses, though it’s unlikely to reimburse direct losses resulting from fraud.
Identity theft protection and credit monitoring
One feature to prioritize is reporting from all three major credit bureaus; many entry-level plans only monitor one bureau, leaving room for suspicious activity to slip through unnoticed. You should also look for a service that gets audited regularly by independent security experts, and that deletes your information when you cancel your subscription (rather than holding onto it indefinitely).
Some credit card issuers offer identity theft protection programs, including free options and more in-depth services that charge a monthly fee.
Steps to take if your identity is stolen
If you suspect your identity has been stolen, your first course of action should be to freeze your credit reports to prevent the thief from applying for credit in your name. It’s free to do so and it won’t damage your credit, and you can always unfreeze your reports later when the dust settles.
Your next steps depend on the nature of the identity theft and any fraud that may have already occurred:
File an identity theft report: IdentityTheft.gov is a Federal Trade Commission program that will help you create a recovery plan and generate an identity theft report that you can use later as documentation.Report the fraud to creditors: Notify any banks, credit card issuers, or other companies involved in your identity theft of the fraud. The sooner you do this the better; oftentimes, if you don’t report within a certain time frame, you could be held liable for any debts incurred.Notify the credit bureaus: Call at least one of the main credit bureaus to let them know your identity has been stolen. The bureaus are required by law to notify the others and you’ll a 90-day initial fraud alert, which means creditors have to take reasonable steps to verify the identity of anyone applying for credit under your name. Later, with an identity theft report, you can extend the fraud alert to seven years.Contact law enforcement: Depending on the situation, you may want to file a police report, especially if you know who stole your identity. Some creditors may also require you to file a report with law enforcement.
If your social security number has been badly compromised, and you continue to have issues with identity theft, you may be eligible to get a new social security number. To do this, you’ll need to contact your local Social Security office and arrange an in-person appointment.
How to find the best identity theft protection for you
The best identity theft protection service is the one that meets your needs at a price you can afford. That said, some protection is better than none, so don’t give up if you can’t find a plan that suits you perfectly.
Finally, look for a service with security tools you’ll actually use, even if it’s for superficial reasons (like a layout or color scheme you prefer). If one service inspires you to be more proactive about protecting your personal information, then that’s a selling point.