Identity theft has become a significant threat in the digital age as fraudsters and swindlers are becoming more sophisticated in their ways of stealing your personal information for malicious intent. That information can be used to open credit accounts, file tax returns, hijack personal accounts, or even go all the way and assume your entire identity without your knowledge.
Tons of personal information can be found online, from contact information to even really sensitive stuff like social security numbers and bank account numbers. A lot of that is readily available through what’s known as open source intelligence (OSINT), which is basically online sources that can be found easily online like social media profiles. But those who are really determined to dig for your information won’t just rely on that to get to you.
You’ll want to protect yourself from all possibilities of identity theft. While you can (and should) follow common-sense rules like shredding documents you need to dispose of and making sure to not leave a paper trail whenever possible, you can add digital solutions to further decrease your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft.
Here are some of the best digital identity theft protection tools and services we found on the online market today.
The Best Identity Theft Protection 2021
These tools are designed specifically to safeguard your sensitive information from prying eyes and grubby hands. Take note that using these alone won’t be any good if you’re a careless sort. But if you’re interested enough in identity theft protection that you’d actually pay for it, then it’s safe to assume that you’re serious about protecting your personal information.
LifeLock
Founded in 2005 and based in Tempe, Arizona, LifeLock was designed to offer ordinary consumers who don’t know anything about cybersecurity the best identity theft protection out there. Over time, LifeLock has garnered a reputation as an effective and reliable tool for identity theft protection. It grew by leaps and bounds as an independent company within 14 years.
In 2019, LifeLock was acquired by cybersecurity giant Symantec, which also owns other cybersecurity brands like Javelin Networks. The merger resulted in Symantec rebranding as NortonLifeLock, thus combining their expertise in antivirus and antimalware security and LifeLock’s identity theft protection to create the ultimate digital security suite.
LifeLock gives your computer and devices all-around protection, thanks to it being bundled with Norton 360. LifeLock itself includes stolen funds reimbursement and personal expense compensation features, which make it powerful for not only protecting against identity theft, but also solving problems resulting from identity theft and fraud that actually takes place.
But due to it being part of a big security software suite, its subscription plans cost much more than that of its competitors. Also, if you avail of the family plan, you’ll have to pay an extra $5.99 per child (or extra device you wish to use LifeLock with).
Identity Guard
This software makes use of artificial intelligence courtesy of IBM’s Watson computing system to gather data and insights on potential identity theft threats. Founded in 1996 as Intersections Inc, they were one of the first companies to establish the identity theft protection industry by delivering a product that was designed to help customers protect their identities in an increasingly digital age.
Identity Guard would continue to develop and evolve as technology advanced, continually improving in how it protected the privacy and data of both individuals and businesses. With 25 years of experience having protected more than 47 million identities under their belt, Identity Guard is one of the best identity theft protection systems you’ll find out there.
Its AI-powered technology scans millions of articles across the internet daily to detect possible identity theft, which is then reported if it gets a positive. Identity Guard also provides safe browsing tools for users while doing online shopping, banking, or payments. There is also the Monthly Vantage credit score from TransUnion with the Ultra Plan, which is a nice bonus.
However, while Identity Guard does provide a comprehensive software suite for your security needs, it doesn’t offer a specific computer tool package, so you’ll have to figure things out yourself. Also, it only gives you credit reports on a yearly basis, so it’s not the best if you like getting reports monthly. Despite that, as far as identity theft protection is concerned, it’s a solid package.
IdentityForce
The history of IdentityForce goes way back to 1978 with the founding of Stop-Loss Associates Inc. by Herbert P. Bearak in Framingham, Massachusetts. The company became one of the pioneers in personal information security and protection services. They then changed their name to IdentityForce in 2005 with the success of their digital identity theft protection services.
IdentityForce was then acquired by EZShield in 2019, and the merger created the parent company Sontiq. With this long history behind their identity theft protection services, you can safely assume that they know what they’re doing when it comes to dealing with identity and data security. They’re consistently on top of the lists of the best identity theft protection services among mainstream tech reviewers and cybersecurity experts.
Its main offering is the UltraSecure+Credit plan, which costs $24.95 per month. This comprehensive plan includes monitoring for sex offenders, mobile attacks, social media hacks, medical ID theft, and tax fraud. There’s the more affordable UltraSecure plan at $17.95 that has all these features except credit freeze, credit report fraud assistance, and the mobile app.
If you’re concerned with general security, get the basic UltraSecure plan. But if you’re concerned about your security regarding your financial stuff, then you should add the extra $7 for the UltraSecure+Credit plan, which gives you the credit score simulator that can help you monitor your credit and find ways to improve your score, which is crucial to staying out of the financial weeds that can potentially ruin you in the long run.
The only problem with IdentityForce is that these are the only two plans they offer. Also, there are no refunds for users who choose to cancel, so you won’t get anything back if you happen to not be satisfied with their services.
ReliaShield
This is perhaps the best value identity theft protection service for individuals, providing powerful tools and great customer service with a 100% success rate for stolen identity recovery. ReliaShield provides SSN tracking and credit report monitoring, as well as all the other identity theft protection services you can expect for only $7.99 per month.
While ReliaShield doesn’t have the anti-phishing and anti-keylogging tools present in IdentityForce, you’re only being charged $7.99 per month. You’re still getting tremendous value with its dark web monitoring, credit report monitoring, address change alerts, and Social Security number tracking. If all you’re concerned with is preventing identity theft, then you’re covered pretty well by ReliaShield’s service.
Do take note that you won’t get any device protection, and you get limited features in lower tier subscriptions. You can only get social media monitoring, payday loans, sex offender alerts, and so on in higher-tier plans. It does give you a monthly credit score, so at least you still get that covered. ReliaShield will remind you to request a free credit report every year, so you still get to check for errors in the report to stay on top of your credit.
If you want to subscribe to a family plan, it’s just double the cost of the individual plan. If you want identity theft protection for your entire family, the price can go up to $32 a month, which is still pretty good for the services they’re offering.
ID Watchdog
Founded in 2005, ID Watchdog released its first identity theft protection platform two years later in 2007. A decade after that, the credit reporting agency Equifax acquired them in 2017. They did so well, having maintained an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, that a top credit reporting agency actually bought them to get better at their job.
That says a lot about how good ID Watchdog is at identity theft protection. ID Watchdog’s Platinum plan offers three-bureau reporting, customized identity monitoring, and all the other services you’d expect from the Plus plan, all for $19.95. Both the Plus and Platinum plans for families cover up to 10 dependents, making both of them excellent value.
However, the drawback there is that they don’t offer free trials or money-back guarantee, so you’ll have to think carefully before going for it. Also, these subscriptions don’t include the computer security tools you can expect from something like NortonLifeLock. But if what you care about is more on just identity theft protection and credit score reporting, then this is alright.
The best thing about ID Watchdog is the team of trained specialists behind the service, whose job it is to assist members who need help with identity theft. They have a mountain of experience when it comes to resolving problems related to stolen identities.