It can be scary when someone uses your identity to impersonate you. Identity thieves can do this quite easily, provided you don’t have the best identity theft protection to your name. They can use your personal information to open bank accounts, obtain a loan, or also make a huge purchase.
Even worse, they could provide your information to the police and set a criminal record. Frightening, right? To save yourself, it is only wise to use a theft protection service. Having such a service will protect your identity from fraud of all kinds.
Otherwise, you may be one out of 15 people who fall prey to identity theft. Choosing an exemplary theft protection service can seem quite the task, however. To help you decide we’ve rounded up a list of protection services to help you make the right decision.
List of best identity theft protection services
In 2021 alone, over $24 billion was lost to identity thieves, Javelin Strategy reports. This fraud is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world, and everyone is susceptible to falling prey. Consumers continue to experience losses while thieves continue to enjoy data theft.
In response to data and identity theft, many companies have come up with identity theft solutions. These identity theft protection solutions and services make sure thieves don’t get a chance to strike. They will protect your personal information online.
They will also monitor your credit and detect any anomalies. But, most of all, they alert you if anything suspicious happens. In case a thief manages to strike, these services will not let you take the blow alone.
Instead, they will assist you in recovery and offer a recovery guarantee. Let’s discover the top identity theft protection services out there in the market:
Aura
If you’re looking for a comprehensive identity theft monitoring and security solution, go for Aura. Aura will cover your identity, your credit, and even your device, all in one. The best part is that they offer their users up to $1 million in insurance if something wrong happens. This amount is good as per the industry standard.
All Aura subscribers are entitled to personal information and ID monitoring, account monitoring, and financial monitoring. Moreover, credit monitoring and social security alerts are also covered by this service.
Including antivirus and malware protection, a VPN, and a password manager, this service offers it all. You can also be confident that they will round up your credit report from all major credit bureaus and generate a composite credit score.
This way, you can always stay on top of any anomalies. The best part of their service is that it can be pretty affordable if you get a discount. Plus, it’s best for those with many gadgets and prefers a service that can work across them all.
They offer three plans. The individual plan can cover up to ten devices. The couples plan can protect two members and offer protection for about 20 devices. Finally, the family plan covers five members and 50 devices.
If you like, you can check out their services through their 14-day free trial package.
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable plans with discounts | No live recovery specialists |
| All three major credit bureaus | No virus protection for macOS devices |
| VPN, password manager, and antivirus | |
| Free trial plus a money-back guarantee |
Identity Force
Identity Force bags “are our number two spot in identity theft, offering a complete theft protection package but at a hefty price tag. But rest assured, the tools and services they offer backed by a million-dollar guarantee make their prices worth the while.
Their comprehensive list of services includes various types of monitoring, alerts, and even cybersecurity tools. All of their plans include anti-phishing and VPN, and that too through a mobile device.
This feature guarantees optimal theft protection for families, especially kids. It even goes the extra mile to inform parents when a registered sex offender moves into the location.
However, what sets this service apart is that it goes the extra mile to satisfy its customers. For instance, they have included social media monitoring services in their basic plans. In addition, services like junk mail opt-out are also provided by this service.
Identity Force comes in two plans: Ultra Secure and Ultra Secure + credit. The former offers advanced features such as investment account alerts, sex offender monitoring, and medical ID fraud protection.
Moreover, Ultra Secure + credit ensures users get their credit scores from major bureaus and even a credit score simulator that will analyze how certain decisions impact your score.
Besides the award-winning social media monitoring suite, Identity Force also includes a cool mobile feature. Known as Mobile Attack Control, you can easily stay safe from spyware and other security breaches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Good family plans | Inconsistent user interface |
| Anti-phishing and anti-keylogging software | Bit pricey |
| Social media monitoring | |
| Recovery services |
Identity Guard
Look no further if you’re looking for an identity theft protection service that leverages IBM’s artificial intelligence. Identity Guard will ensure advanced credit monitoring and theft protection thanks to AI.
This service protects your SSN, your DOB, and your credit files from ID theft. Its key giveaway is that IBM Watson, an AI supercomputer, provides an incredible scanning platform. Moreover, this platform can track fraudulent patterns and alert users.
What’s more-the AI technology they leverage grants them breakneck speed. Like other competitors, Identity Guard will offer you theft protection, credit monitoring, identity theft recovery, and insurance of up to $1 million.
You also get to use tools to help you pay bills, shop online, and make transactions and purchases. This company also covers credit monitoring service. Moreover, their mobile application is best suited for detecting phishing attempts.
Their highly skilled fraud agency will ensure you get the proper remediation and support 24/7, 365. They offer three plans: value plan, total plan, and an ultra plan. The first plan offers essential identity protection and online/ device security.
Moreover, the standard plan covers basic plus bank account monitoring, device security, and credit protection. Finally, their ultra plan includes added identity protection features such as home title monitoring, criminal and sex offender monitoring, USPS address change, etc.
Credit protection is premier, and device security is the same.
| PROS | CONS |
| Leverages artificial intelligence | No fraud alerts for credit bureaus |
| 24/7/365 US-Based Fraud Agents | Limited credit reports |
| Calculates risk management score | |
| 60-day money-back guarantee |
ID Shield
Backed by an unlimited service guarantee, ID shield is no less than any other identity theft protection service. Moreover, like Identity Force, their basic plans include features that most services include in their premium ones.
The features include identity and credit monitoring, cybersecurity, device protection, and complete service identity theft restoration. In addition, ID Shield ensures that you get an entire team of licensed private investigators to help you in case of identity theft.
Moreover, it also boasts a world-class VPN, parental controls, password protection, and even malware protection. Their monthly credit score reports ensure you stay on top of your finance game.
They consistently monitor your information on social media and the dark web. In case of suspicious behaviors, they will inform you immediately. Like other service providers, they offer $1 million protection in case of theft.
If you’re looking for a protection service that gives an identity theft definition, an ID shield it is. This brand offers an individual and family plan, with the only difference being members are protected by the family plan.
Lastly, their key giveaway is that they pledge to keep working with you until your identity reaches its pre-theft status. They will make sure financial damages are all reversed. Moreover, they will work up till the last file restoration.
| PROS | CONS |
| Licensed private investigators | Limited plans |
| Expansive theft monitoring | |
| Quarterly credit reporting | |
| 24/7 private investigators |
Lifelock
With Lifelock, customers are entitled to expansive cybersecurity software regardless of their plans. Powered by Norton, Lifelock works best with the cybersecurity suite. In addition, Norton itself provides malware and antivirus protection, password management, VPN, and even cloud backup.
This service is best for users who spend most of their time online. However, if you want to give identity theft meaning, Lifelock will define protection for you. This is the perfect combination between identity protection and antivirus software.
Moreover, the service also encompasses credit monitoring tools. So whether you want help finding your wallet or identifying theft, LifeLock is here to help. It also comes with a live Identity restoration specialist who will help quickly resolve your identity theft issue.
The most remarkable feature is that this service offers personal expense compensation and stolen funds reimbursement. Moreover, a $1 million coverage is also provided.
View alerts, credit monitoring, financial transactions, and online privacy, and monitor your identity through the comfort of your devices. It offers three packages, namely standard, advantage, and ultimate plus.
While the standard package is below par in terms of features, its higher grade features include many options. These features include bank account takeover, payday loans, and social media tracking.
Finally, Ultimate Plus has really cool features such as phone takeover monitoring; crime alerts done on your name, home title monitoring, and social media monitoring, to name a few.
| PROS | CONS |
| Personal expense compensation | Limited feature in the basic plan |
| Reimbursement of stolen funds | |
| 24/7 Live Support | |
McAfee identity theft protection
This top antivirus program is now making waves in identity theft protection. Like other theft protection providers, McAfee includes features such as identity monitoring, protection, theft insurance, and monthly credit reports.
It does so through features such as VPN, password manager, and malware protection. Users can stay safe online thanks to these services. The biggest sell for McAfee is that it’s an antivirus company, and we will be happy when you choose to seek them.
This popular theft protection service ensures your personal information, your email address, and everything in between are protected 24/7.
The service offers three packages, single device, couples device, and family protection. In addition, all plans include an antivirus, ID protection, password manager, shredder, and even security expert support.
They also feature a bank-grade VPN that converts public networks into secure hotspots. Moreover, their guided identity protection includes expanded monitoring features.
Work your way across multiple devices with a total subscription that can cover up to ten devices in your family. Enjoy expanded monitoring with an auto-renewal feature. This feature helps you enjoy identity theft protection to the maximum.
All in all, McAfee is a leading brand in identity theft with its comprehensive-ranging security features. Features include ID theft insurance, credit reports, and even identity and credit monitoring.
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable | New and untested |
| Free antivirus and VPN | |
| Data cleanup services | |
| Online protection score |
Zander Insurance
Zander Insurance is the perfect solution to all identity theft issues. Providing up to $1 million in coverage, this service provides all basic theft protection features. Moreover, the service boasts online protection with its antivirus and VPN.
In case of identity theft, their certified recovery specialists will ensure you reach your pre-theft status as soon as possible. Moreover, their family plan offers coverage of up to $2 million in case of theft.
Between their essential and elite plan, the latter is full of cool perks. These features include a premium VPN, premium antivirus, Experian credit lock, account takeover monitoring, and even new account takeover monitoring.
Moreover, their family plan covers two adults and free coverage for children on up to 20 devices. Indeed, this service offers advanced detection features such as all employment records, tax frauds, title frauds, etc.
| PROS | CONS |
| Cyber Tools, Monitoring & Alerts | Limited plans |
| $1,000,000 for Stolen Funds & Expenses | |
| U.S.-based certified recovery specialists |
Conclusion
Have you decided on the best identity theft protection service that works for you? Hopefully, this guide helped you decide. Subscribing to any of these will ensure you stay safe from all sorts of identity theft.
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