7 Trusted Online Identity Threat Protection Solutions for You and Family

Identity theft is a growing concern in the digital age. As more of our personal and financial information moves online, the risk of having your identity compromised increases. Identity theft affects millions of people each year, resulting in significant emotional stress and financial losses. The best way to protect yourself is through an online identity threat protection service.

What is Online Identity Theft?

Online identity theft happens when criminals obtain your personal information and use it to commit fraud under your name. They can get access to details like your full name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver‘s license number, credit card details, and more.

Once identity thieves have your information, they can use it to:

Open new credit cards or loans in your name
Access your existing financial accounts
File fraudulent tax returns to collect refunds
Obtain medical services using your health insurance
Rent property or obtain employment using your credentials

Victims often don‘t realize their identity has been stolen until they are contacted by debt collectors or see unexpected charges and accounts on their credit report. The results can be devastating – damaged credit, higher insurance premiums, lost wages for time spent resolving the issue, and significant stress.

How Does Online Identity Theft Happen?

Identity thieves use a variety of methods to obtain your personal details, including:

Phishing

Phishing involves sending fraudulent emails or text messages designed to trick you into handing over login credentials or sensitive information. They may claim to be from a legitimate company and request personal details to "verify your account."

Skimming

Skimmers are devices installed on payment terminals, gas pumps, and ATMs to steal card information when you make a transaction. Thieves may also use skimming devices on credit card readers at restaurants or retail stores.

Data Breaches

Your personal information is frequently stored in databases by schools, employers, financial institutions, retailers, and government agencies. A data breach occurs when hackers infiltrate these systems and steal customer records. Major breaches have exposed data on millions of people.

Public Wi-Fi Hacking

Open public Wi-Fi networks can easily be infiltrated by cybercriminals. When you connect, they can spy on your online activity and steal entered passwords, financial account numbers, and other sensitive data.

Scammers may gather your personal details through social engineering scams and schemes. This includes posing as bank employees or tech support reps to trick you into handing over account numbers and passwords.

Malware Infections

Viruses, spyware, and trojans can infect your devices and allow cyber thieves to steal your personal files and account credentials. Clicking on links or attachments in suspicious emails is a common source of malware.

Physical Theft

Dumpster diving to obtain discarded documents with personal information, stealing wallets and purses, mail theft, and breaking into homes and vehicles can allow thieves to gather details like your driver‘s license, insurance cards, bank statements, and credit card offers.

Consequences of Online Identity Theft

Having your identity stolen can wreak havoc on your finances, credit standing, and reputation. Some potential effects include:

Fraudulent accounts and charges on your existing credit cards
New credit cards or loans opened in your name resulting in debts you don‘t owe
Lower credit score that hurts your ability to obtain future credit
Collection calls from creditors seeking payment for unauthorized purchases and accounts
Legal troubles if thieves commit crimes using your identity
Corrupted medical history if thief‘s information is mixed with yours
Tax issues if thief files a false return with your Social Security number
Loss of access to your own accounts if identity thief changes account passwords and contact info

Resolving identity theft issues is complex and time-consuming. You‘ll need to place fraud alerts, dispute unauthorized charges, notify companies of the ID theft, work with credit bureaus to correct your records, file police reports, change compromised account passwords, and take further steps to reclaim your identity. This can take hundreds of hours to accomplish.

An online identity theft protection service makes this recovery process much faster and easier by providing dedicated restoration support. They assign you a personal case manager who handles contacting companies, investigating suspicious activity, and reversing damages on your behalf. This saves you the stress and hassle of managing the recovery independently.

How Online Identity Theft Protection Works

Identity theft protection services use advanced technology and human expertise to safeguard your personal information and provide assistance if you do become a victim.

Here‘s an overview of how they help:

Monitoring and Alerts

Services constantly scan the internet, public records, and criminal databases looking for any unauthorized use of your identity. This includes monitoring:

Credit reports at all three bureaus for new accounts and inquiries
Public records for court records, payday loans, bankruptcies, and more
Dark web sites where personal info is illegally bought and sold
High-risk transactions with your financial accounts

If any suspicious activity is detected, they send you real-time alerts by phone, email, text message, and mobile app notifications. This allows you to take immediate action to prevent further misuse.

Expert Restoration

If you do experience identity theft, the service assigns a dedicated investigator to manage the recovery process for you. This saves you the hassle of contacting companies, disputing fraudulent accounts and charges, working with law enforcement, replacing documents, and more.

They help with tasks like:

Placing fraud alerts and security freezes on your credit reports
Filing police reports, FTC complaints, and claims against fraudulent accounts
Updating account passwords and security questions that may be compromised
Ensuring any corrupted information is fixed on your credit reports, tax records, and medical files

Insurance Coverage

Many identity theft companies provide insurance policies up to $1 million or more to reimburse you for out-of-pocket costs related to identity restoration. This covers expenses like legal fees, lost wages, and stolen funds.

Prevention Tools

Some services offer additional features to help prevent identity theft, such as:

Password managers to create and store strong, unique passwords
Secure cloud storage for important documents
VPN service to keep your online browsing private on public WiFi
Online privacy tools to remove your info from data broker websites

By leveraging advanced technology and expert staff, a protection service serves as your ally in the fight against identity thieves.

7 Trusted Online Identity Theft Protection Services

There are numerous companies offering identity theft protection services catering to both individuals and families. Here are 7 top-rated options to consider:

1. LifeLock

LifeLock is one of the largest identity theft protection providers, covering up to 10 million members. They offer plans tailored for individuals, couples, and families.

Key features of LifeLock include:

Monitoring for fraudulent account openings and suspicious credit activity
Alerts for high-risk transactions with financial accounts
Dark web monitoring for illegal trading of personal info
Alerts for compromised credentials like emails and passwords
Lost wallet protection if IDs are stolen
Address change verification to spot criminal redirects
FICO credit scores and credit reports from TransUnion
Identity restoration by US-based team
Up to $1 million theft insurance

LifeLock also provides additional prevention tools like Norton Security VPN and a password manager. Platinum plans include bank account application and balance alerts, online credit reports, and monthly credit score tracking.

2. IdentityForce

IdentityForce offers both individual and family plans. Their UltraSecure service helps safeguard your personal, financial, and medical ID info.

Features include:

Tri-bureau credit monitoring and quarterly reports
Dark web surveillance for compromised credentials
Alerts for suspicious cash withdrawals
High-risk transaction monitoring with bank accounts
Compromised password notifications
Change of address monitoring
Medical ID theft protection
Complete identity restoration services
$1 million identity theft insurance

Add-on options include credit locks, credit and financial account activity alerts, and a keylogger detector for extra security.

3. Identity Guard

Backed by IBM Watson‘s artificial intelligence, Identity Guard provides robust identity theft protection and restoration.

Their features include:

Tri-bureau credit file monitoring and reports
Dark web monitoring for compromised personal data
Alerts for cash withdrawals, high-risk transactions, and suspicious activity
Identity verification monitoring
Address change verification
Identity theft insurance up to $1 million
US-based restoration team

Identity Guard also offers a family plan covering two adults and up to 10 children. Their mobile app and website provide 24/7 access to monitoring alerts.

4. McAfee Identity Theft Protection

From renowned antivirus company McAfee, this ID protection service makes safeguarding your identity easy.

McAfee provides:

Monitoring across all three credit bureaus
Dark web surveillance for stolen credentials
Alerts for high-risk transactions
Unauthorized credit inquiries alerts
Complete identity restoration
$1 million identity theft insurance
Personal cybersecurity advisor
Internet security tools like firewall and file encryption

For comprehensive monitoring, their Platinum plan adds credit scoring, bank transaction oversight, change of address alerts, and an unlimited VPN.

5. Aura

Aura takes an innovative approach to identity theft protection with their “identity firewall”. This acts like a traditional firewall to block unauthorized access to your identity and financial accounts.

The firewall helps by:

Monitoring credit reports, financial accounts, emails, and credentials
Alerting you of suspicious activity
Providing device security for all connected devices
Blocking scams and fraudulent sites before you visit them
Offering dark web scans for compromised information
Providing complete restoration services
Including $1 million insurance

Aura‘s firewall aims to stop identity theft before it happens rather than just alert you when damage is done.

6. IdentityForce UltraSecure + Credit

This enhanced plan from IdentityForce combines identity theft and credit monitoring into one solution.

On top of the UltraSecure features like dark web monitoring, suspicious transaction alerts, and restoration services, you also get:

Daily credit reports from TransUnion
Daily credit monitoring and risk alerts
Quarterly credit reports from Equifax and Experian
Credit utilization tracking
Credit dispute assistance
$1 million identity theft insurance

With both identity protection and credit tracking in one, this plan provides complete, proactive monitoring.

7. ReliaShield

For a budget-friendly option, ReliaShield offers robust protection starting at $6.67 per month.

ReliaShield includes:

Credit reports and scores
Daily credit monitoring
High-risk transaction notifications
Credit freeze assistance
Dark web surveillance
Alerts for compromised credentials
Complete identity restoration
$1 million insurance for lost wages and expenses

ReliaShield monitors your identity from every angle and provides easy-to-use tools to view alerts and access credit reports.

What to Look for in an Identity Theft Protection Service

With many options on the market, here are the key features to seek in an identity theft protection provider:

Comprehensive monitoring: Look for monitoring of credit reports, public records, financial accounts, credentials, and dark web sites for a full scope of protection.
Real-time alerts: The ability to notify you of suspicious activity via phone, email, text and app is essential for quick response.
Fast restoration: Make sure the provider offers dedicated case managers and full-service restoration to save you headaches.
Cybersecurity tools: Added security through password managers, VPNs and other utilities is a plus.
Insurance: Policies of up to $1 million can reimburse costs to restore your identity and lost assets.
Customer support: Around-the-clock support gives you access to assistance when you need it.
Affordable pricing: Look for competitive rates and options for individuals, couples and families.
Satisfaction guarantee: Money-back guarantees allow you to try a service risk-free.
Reputation: Choose an established company with positive reviews and ratings.

Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It?

Identity theft protection services require a monetary investment but provide value in return. Compared to the massive headaches, expenses, and hours needed to resolve identity theft independently, the cost is usually nominal.

These services offer both financial and emotional benefits:

Prevent bigger losses: Early alerts allow you to stop the crime before more damage is done.
Save significant time: Restoration services handle all the legwork so you can focus on your daily life.
Reduce stress: Specialists manage the details of rectifying the problem on your behalf.
Gain peace of mind: Comprehensive monitoring and restoration support grants comfort.
Insurance protects you: Policies cover expenses you may incur related to identity theft.

Considering the gravity of threats like identity theft and account fraud, an identity protection service is a wise investment for most consumers in the digital age. Though no solution is 100% foolproof, they provide robust protection and support.

Protect Your Identity in the Digital Age

As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, everyone is at risk of identity theft. Compromised personal details can disrupt your finances, credit, medical history, tax records, and reputation. Identity protection services offer a way to defend your good name.

Look for a comprehensive solution that provides continuous monitoring of your identity, alerts you to suspicious activity, offers $1 million or more in insurance, and provides dedicated recovery services in case the worst happens. With the proper protections, you can enjoy your life online knowing your identity is safe.