8 Best Identity Theft Protection Services of July 2024

Money’s Main Takeaways:

• Aura, IdentityForce and LifeLock offer the most comprehensive protection across all the companies we reviewed

• Credit services, such as three-bureau monitoring and credit score simulators or trackers, often show up only in more expensive identity theft protection plans

• An identity theft protection service can’t prevent criminals from stealing your information, but it can alert you to their activities and if your data has been exposed online

• Identity theft is a growing issue in the U.S. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), more than 1 million cases of identity theft were reported in 2023 — higher than any pre-pandemic year on record.

Our Top Picks for the Best Identity Theft Protection

• Aura - Best Comprehensive Protection
• IDX Identity – Best Identity Monitoring
• Experian Identityworks – Best Credit Monitoring
• Identity Guard – Best Identity Theft Protection for Seniors
• IdentityForce – Best Identity Theft Protection for Families
• IDShield – Best Identity Theft Restoration
• LifeLock – Best Cybersecurity Package
• IdentityIQ – Best Variety of Plans

Best Identity Theft Protection Reviews

Learn more by reading our full Aura review.

Learn more by reading our full LifeLock review.

Learn more by reading our full IDX Identity Protection review.

Learn more by reading our full Experian IdentityWorks review.

Learn more by reading our full Identity Guard review.

Learn more by reading our full IdentityForce review.

Learn more by reading our full IDShield review.

Learn more by reading our full IdentityIQ review.

Other identity theft protection services we considered

The following companies are worth mentioning even if they did not make our top list. Some of them are well-known and competent, but don’t stand out in any particular area. Others offer robust protection plans, but have limited plan availability or lack information about their features.

ReliaShield

ReliaShield plans cost less on average for what they bring than those of competitors. For example, its family plans cover two adults and start at $14.99 per month, whereas comparable plans usually start at $25 per month. In addition to competitive pricing, all its plans feature five types of monitoring, data breach updates and 24/7 US-based customer and recovery services.

Why it didn’t make the cut: ReliaShield is a competent identity theft protection service, but lacks the standout features of the companies in our top list. Moreover, the company doesn’t offer device security tools, which have become a staple offering in the industry.

Learn more by reading our full ReliaShield review.

McAfee Identity Theft Protection Standard

McAfee is a well-known brand in the cybersecurity space, and it’s no surprise that the greatest asset of its identity theft protection plans are online and device security tools. These include a social media privacy tool, an online account cleanup tool, a VPN, malware protection and an antivirus. This is on top of the company’s extensive identity monitoring and alerts.

Why it didn’t make the cut: McAfee lost out to LifeLock when it came to the overall value of their identity theft protection plans relative to the number and quality of the security software they offer. We also felt that the lack of monthly payment options held McAfee back from a top placement.

Learn more by reading our full McAfee Identity Theft Protection review.

ID Watchdog

ID Watchdog checks all of the boxes when it comes to the essentials of identity theft protection. It comes with a robust toolset for combating identity theft, educational information for users and an affordable top-tier plan. The service is also a worthwhile option for families with no more than four children, thanks to a child credit lock and child credit and social accounts monitoring.

Why it didn’t make the cut: Although ID Watchdog offers overall strong identity protection, it didn’t stand out from similar products. Its plans are also quite expensive when compared to those of competitors with similar coverage.

Learn more by reading our full ID Watchdog review.

Identity Theft Protection Guide

A quick look at the Fraud and ID Theft Maps of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows that of 2023’s 1,036,906 reports of identity theft, 416,812 were related to credit card fraud, while 260,734 were classified as “Other Identity Theft.”

Identity theft protection services help monitor your personal and financial information across the internet and notify you when they detect suspicious activity. However, they can’t prevent your information from being stolen and misused in the first place.

To protect yourself online, it’s important to know how to identify and avoid potential scams.

• What is identity theft?
• How does identity theft happen?
• Other kinds of identity theft?
• How does identity theft protection work?
• Types of identity theft protection services
• How to prevent identity theft
• Why is it important to have identity theft protection?
• How to choose an identity theft protection service
• What to do if you suspect identity theft?
• How to report identity theft

What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal identifiable information (PII) for personal gain. This can be done in several ways, physically or digitally. What often follows is known as identity fraud, which is when a thief uses your stolen information to commit a crime, such as opening accounts, applying for credit, filing taxes or seeking medical services in your name.

How does identity theft happen?

Identity theft comes in many forms, and not all of them consist of a malicious hacker on the other side of the screen waiting for you to write your password.

• Phishing: Identity thieves can trick you into sharing private information or downloading attachments that infect your device by using emails or text messages that look like they’re from legitimate companies, such as banks, online stores and social media sites.

• Formjacking: By inserting malicious code into legitimate website forms, hackers can copy your billing information or login credentials without arousing suspicion.

• Physical document theft: Thieves that get their hands on your personal information can use it for all sorts of nefarious purposes, such as to commit Social Security identity theft.

• Data breaches: Cybercriminals that gain unauthorized access to a business’s database may steal names, dates of birth, home and email addresses, passwords, credit cards, driver’s licenses or even SSNs.

• AI fraud: AI technology is able to amplify online scams, for example, by automating credential stuffing attacks and generating highly personalized (and convincing) phishing emails. It could also facilitate fraud through the use of deepfake videos and AI voice cloning.

Other kinds of identity theft

Some methods for stealing a person’s identity consist of exploiting specific types of documents, such as medical, investment, and tax documents. A thief could also compile several pieces of information to create a fake version of you.

• Synthetic identity theft: Cybercriminals might create new identities by combining real personal information with fake data. For example, they may use a real Social Security number and a false name to apply for a loan.

• Child identity theft: Scammers can steal a child’s personal information and use it to wrongfully obtain services and benefits, or to commit fraud. This often goes unnoticed until years later when the affected individual tries to obtain a job, car insurance or a new credit card.

• Medical identity theft: Your information could be used to obtain a health insurance policy or to submit false claims to Medicare and other insurers. This may also involve a scammer using your health insurance to visit a doctor or get a prescription.

• Tax identity theft: A scammer that gets access to your Social Security number can use it to file a fraudulent tax return and collect the refund before you do. Most people become aware of this type of theft when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) flags their tax return as a duplicate.

How does identity theft protection work?

Identity theft protection services work on an alert-based system. They monitor the web for signs of your personal information popping up where it shouldn’t be — like the dark web, social media, court or arrest records, or payday loan applications — and send you a notification via one or more channels if they find anything suspicious.

Many ID theft protection services also feature credit monitoring and computer security tools and may cover some of the costs resulting from identity fraud.

Types of identity theft protection services

Identity theft protection companies help you monitor your private information across the internet and spot scams early on.

The most common features of identity protection services are:

• Credit report monitoring: Credit monitoring works by regularly reviewing your credit report from one or all three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — for signs of possible fraud and identity theft. If any suspicious activity turns up in your credit file, you will be notified via email, text or phone so you can verify this information.

(If you’ve already been the victim of identity theft, and there is inaccurate information in your credit history, make sure to check out our guide to the best credit repair companies).

• Identity monitoring: Identity protection services monitor websites, databases and public records for signs that your personal information is being shared or used by fraudsters. They may track your Social Security number, driver’s license, passport, home address, email, phone number and bank accounts (e.g. checking and savings accounts).

• Identity recovery services: Restoration services provide professional assistance to help you recover your identity and secure your accounts. This includes contacting government agencies, requesting a credit freeze and helping you write letters to creditors and debt collectors.

Although you can dispute your credit report on your own, hiring a company to do so can save you time and effort.

• Identity theft insurance: Also called identity fraud insurance, this covers stolen funds and out-of-pocket expenses related to recovering your identity such as legal fees or lost wages. Coverage often ranges from $20,000 to $1 million, but can go as high as $5 million in some cases.

• VPN services: A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and its online destination. This limits how much of your data ends up online and how vulnerable you are to malicious third parties, especially on public wi-fi networks.

• Antivirus software: Antiviruses search your device’s system files, documents, programs and applications to detect and remove malicious software (e.g. viruses, trojans, adware) that may be tracking you or stealing your information.

If you want to know more about VPNs and antivirus software, or would like to pick one out yourself, take a look at our best VPN services and best antivirus software pages.

How to prevent identity theft

Here are some recommendations if you want to know how to protect yourself from identity theft and fraud:

1. Create strong passwords: Avoid sequential letters and numbers like “1234” or “abcd.” Instead, use random sequences that include punctuation marks and letters in both lowercase and uppercase.

2. Don’t reuse passwords: If a reused password is exposed in a data breach, hackers can get access to all of the accounts with the same login credentials. Consider getting a password manager if you’re having issues remembering your passwords. (For more on this type of software, visit our list of the best password managers.)

3. Request copies of your credit report through AnnualCreditReport.com: Keep an eye out for new accounts or loan applications you don’t recognize. Make sure to check your monthly credit card bills and bank statements for unauthorized charges, as well.

4. Request fraud alerts from your credit bureaus: This way, banks and other financial institutions can contact you to verify your information before approving new accounts. If you know how to freeze your credit, you can do so to prevent new accounts from being opened in your name until the freeze is lifted.

5. Protect your Internet-connected devices: You can do this by installing an antivirus software and enabling two-step factor authentication when available, which gives your accounts an extra layer of protection.

6. Watch out for phishing attempts: When you receive an email asking for personal information or requesting you click on a link, check for spelling and grammatical errors. You can hover over the sender’s name to reveal the full email address and ensure it is legitimate.

7. Avoid carrying around your Social Security card: Don’t take your Social Security card with you unless absolutely necessary. You also don’t want to share personal details like SSNs, bank account numbers and your driver’s license via text message, email or social media.

8. Protect your physical information: Shred receipts, account statements and expired credit and debit cards before throwing them out. If you're going on vacation, make sure to place a hold on your mail (you can do this online at USPS.com), or have somebody pick it up on a regular basis.

9. Reduce the data you leave online: Your digital footprint — the trail of data you intentionally or unintentionally leave online — may constitute a security threat if hackers or thieves are able to access your personal information. To limit this, delete unwanted accounts, ask data brokers to take down your information and avoid internet cookies.

Why is it important to have identity theft protection?

Identity theft protection is becoming increasingly important as criminals find new ways to steal people's information. Because there is no one type of identity theft, protection services need to be multifaceted and provide comprehensive protection features that can intercept as many kinds of scams as possible.

Freezing your credit and doing your own monitoring is certainly possible — and less expensive — but paying for identity theft protection may be the best solution for those who are unable to do so due to a lack of time or knowledge.

How to choose an identity theft protection service

Choosing the right identity theft protection service comes down to three key elements: alerts, monitoring, and restoration.

1. Look at the alerts that each ID theft protection service will send you if it suspects your identity has been stolen. Review if you need alerts for more niche cases and on how many devices you want to install the software.

2. Consider the types of monitoring you need. Some people just want essential monitoring, while others may be looking for specialized services, such as social media and investment monitoring.

3. Single out each company’s identity restoration package. It should include features such as stolen funds reimbursement, personal expense compensation, and coverage for lawyers in the event your identity is used fraudulently.

Cost of identity theft protection

On average, identity theft protection costs around $10 to $30 per month for an individual plan. ID theft protection for families is usually more expensive, but you can find family plans starting as low as $15 per month.

If you’re debating whether to pay for one of these services, consider how expensive an identity theft lawyer can be in comparison. Identity theft lawyers cost around $368 per hour, which is the hourly rate for attorneys with 11 to 15 years of experience, according to the 2018 Edition of The Survey of Law Firm Economics.

Consumers at greater risk of having their identity stolen should weigh the cost of preventative measures against that of reactive measures, like hiring a lawyer to help restore your identity.

Is identity theft protection worth it?

You can protect yourself from ID theft by practicing basic security measures, but an identity protection service can offer some peace of mind — even more so if you have an overwhelming amount of online and financial accounts.

ID protection services do the heavy lifting for you by looking for possible exposure of your personal information and spotting instances when your data might have been used fraudulently. This makes ID theft protection especially worthwhile for individuals who don't actively monitor their own credit.

What to do if you suspect identity theft?

If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft, there are several steps you should take immediately.

1. Analyze your situation. Have you handed out this information to a family member or close friend that may have used it accidentally?

2. Update your password and login details. This is especially important if you use the same password and/or login information for more than one account, and if said account(s) could have been compromised due to a data breach.

3. Review your credit report. You should be looking for signs of fraud, such as new lines of credit that you did not open yourself.

Common warning signs of identity theft

Identity theft often goes undetected until it’s well underway. By familiarizing yourself with the common warning signs, you may be able to prevent it from causing significant damage to your personal finances or credit. These warning signs include:

1. Unexpected changes to your credit score. Your credit score could experience gradual or sudden dips depending on how an identity thief uses your information.

2. Unfamiliar purchases or transactions in your bank statements. Identity thieves may use your information to purchase goods, upgrade services on existing accounts or open new accounts in your name.

3. New credit cards or lines of credits you did not apply for. Identity thieves often use stolen personal data to apply for credit products. The FTC’s Fraud and ID Theft Maps shows that of 2023’s 1,036,906 reports of identity theft, 416,812 were related to credit cards.

4. Errors on your credit report, tax return or Social Security statement. Not all errors on these documents are the result of identity theft. However, a large number of errors and suspicious information could be a sign of potential fraud.

5. Missing bills or emails. By using a change-of-address scam, identity thieves can reroute your bills or statements. Emails can also be rerouted to another address if a thief gains access to your account settings.

How to check if someone is using my identity

You can take several measures to verify if someone has stolen your identity. You should first check your credit card statements and bank account warning signs, such as unauthorized transactions and new accounts under your name.

You should also request a credit report if your credit score is behaving strangely or if you cannot prequalify for a loan or apply for a credit card when you usually could.

How to report identity theft

To report identity theft, you should start by filing a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at IdentityTheft.gov or calling 1-877-438-4338. Once you fill out the FTC report, you may also file a police report, especially if you have an idea of who may be behind the crime. The documents you’ll need for this include:

• A copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report, which helps with recovering your identity and shows businesses that someone stole your identity

• A government-issued photo ID, such as your driver’s license or passport

• Your physical address and proof thereof, such as a mortgage statement or utility bill

• Proof of identity theft (unfamiliar bills, recurrent credit checks, notices from the IRS, etc.)

Consumers can also report identity theft in Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Arabic, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Polish and many other languages. To do so, call the FTC between 9am-5pm Eastern at (877) 438-4338 and choose the option for your preferred language.

When it comes to phishing emails, you can forward them to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. Text messages can be forwarded to SPAM (7726). Remember to report the phishing attack to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

You can also take up phishing and other types of cyber crime with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3. The IC3 is America’s central hub for reporting cyber crime, which is run by the FBI, the lead federal agency for investigating crimes of this nature.

To prevent damage to your credit, you should also contact your bank and credit card issuer, and place a fraud alert at one of the three following credit bureaus:

• Experian (Experian.com/fraudalert | 1-888-397-3742)

• TransUnion (TransUnion.com/fraud | 1-800-680-7289)

• Equifax (Equifax.com/CreditReportAssistance | 1-888-766-0008)The credit bureau you notify of the situation must then tell the other two so they are all aware of the ongoing case.

Latest News on Identity Theft Protection

• Mortgage fraud is now on many people’s radars due to the trial of former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby. Homebuyers are often the perpetrators of this crime, but mortgage borrowers can also be on its receiving end.

• Americans now permanently have the right to ask for a free credit report from each of the major credit reporting agencies every week. Although it might be tempting to do so, experts are recommending that consumers pull their report on a monthly — not weekly — basis to avoid unnecessary stress.

• As concerns about having your identity stolen surge, so does people’s interest in leaving a smaller digital footprint. Everyone who uses the internet has this “footprint” — a trail of data you intentionally or unintentionally leave online. This may constitute a security threat if hackers or thieves are able to access your personal information.

• There's been talk of criminals using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) readers to steal your credit card information, which is the reason why interest in RFID blocking wallets has increased. Nonetheless, some experts say these products are overhyped because the risk of this happening is so low.

• According to the FTC’s complaint database, some of the worst cities for identity theft include Miami, Atlanta and Texas. Smaller cities, such as Tuscaloosa and Savannah, also display high levels of complaints per resident. If you live in one of these cities, it’s more important than ever that you learn how to protect yourself from identity theft.

• Identity theft victim statistics from last year reaffirm that previous victims of identity theft, higher income individuals and the older people are more prone to theft than other groups. They also suggest women might be at a higher risk, though that might have to do with them being more likely than men to report identity theft.

• Can background checks reveal identity theft? Yes, as it turns out. But their use might be limited to specific types of id theft, such as when the stolen information is connected to court and employment records.

• Job scams have been increasing according to data from the FTC Consumer Sentinel Network. Reported cases of “business and job opportunity” fraud, which include phony job offers and upfront payments for fake job training or equipment, nearly tripled from 2019 to 2023.

How We Chose the Best Identity Theft Protection Service

The best identity theft protection service should offer a comprehensive variety of identity and credit monitoring services across its plans, provide a robust identity restoration package and come with additional cybersecurity tools.

We evaluated each provider’s monitoring and alerts services, reimbursement policies, customer service and cybersecurity software to establish which companies offered the best identity theft protection services.

Monitoring and Alerts

We favored services that track a wide range of items — home titles, the dark web, payday loans, court records, etc. — while highlighting those with unique types of monitoring. The best identity theft monitoring services send you real-time alerts via email and SMS text messaging. To that end, the companies we chose all have iOS and Android mobile apps.

Identity Restoration

Identity theft protection packages should always include some level of fraud insurance, which can reimburse you for any legal fees incurred during the identity restoration process. Ideally, they will also have experts who can guide you through the process and contact financial institutions and government agencies on your behalf.

Cybersecurity Tools

Cybersecurity software is one of the most powerful tools to avoid having your identity stolen. The digital age has made VPNs, password managers, malware detectors and antivirus indispensable tools in the fight against ID theft. We favored services that include these software solutions across most of their plans.

Summary of Money’s 8 Best Identity Theft Protection Services of July 2024

• Aura - Best Comprehensive Protection
• IDX Identity – Best Identity Monitoring
• Experian Identityworks – Best Credit Monitoring
• Identity Guard – Best Identity Theft Protection for Seniors
• IdentityForce – Best Identity Theft Protection for Families
• IDShield – Best Identity Theft Restoration
• LifeLock – Best Cybersecurity Package
• IdentityIQ – Best Variety of Plans