Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021

A shocking amount of information about us can be found online. From Social Security numbers to bank account numbers to social media profiles, a savvy thief potentially has access to all the data he or she needs to assume someone else's identity. This would allow the fraudster to open a credit card or take out a loan in the victim's name, receive medical treatment they didn't pay for or a tax refund they aren't entitled to, or otherwise cause financial and reputational damage to the victim that can take years to recover from. In the meantime, the victim's credit score would plummet, impairing his or her ability to take out a loan or conduct other financial transactions.

Identity theft protection can help prevent ID theft or help restore your identity if you become a victim of it. The Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021 are:

#1 IdentityForce
#1 IdentityGuard
#3 PrivacyGuard
#3 LifeLock
#5 IdentityIQ
#6 Zander
#6 ID Watchdog
#8 IDShield
#9 Experian

Comparison of the Best Identity Theft Protection Services

The Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021

To help narrow down the right identity theft protection service for you, below is a list of our top-rated identity theft protection services of 2021. Follow the links for complete reviews of each company.

IdentityForce: IdentityForce provides comprehensive identity theft protection, including protection against medical identification fraud, cyberfraud, and two-factor authentication fraud. Our top-rated service provides extensive identity theft protection, including less common features like a junk mail opt-out. Social media identity monitoring is included in the basic plan, and the UltraSecure+Credit plan offers a credit score simulator so you can see the potential impact of various decisions on your credit report. To learn more, visit our IdentityForce review or check out the top IdentityForce coupons.

Identity Guard: Identity Guard provides identity theft protection using IBM's Watson computer system to scan the dark web for personal information like your Social Security number, and you’ll get safe browsing tools so you can help protect yourself while shopping, banking, or paying bills online. The anti-phishing mobile app, which helps identify phishing attempts, is included with all of the company’s plans. Artificial intelligence scans millions of articles and social media posts daily to detect threats. In addition, you can monitor your credit score from the three credit bureaus. To learn more, visit our Identity Guard review or check out the top Identity Guard coupons.

PrivacyGuard: PrivacyGuard offers credit reporting, monitoring, and identity theft protection and recovery services. Its available plans let you choose identity theft protection, credit reporting, or both, which means consumers can decide what services matter to them and select a plan accordingly. New members can sign up for $14 for the first two weeks. To learn more, visit our PrivacyGuard review.

LifeLock: The Norton 360 with LifeLock line of products provides a comprehensive suite of digital security tools along with credit reporting, identity monitoring, and identity recovery services. LifeLock provides computer and device protection via a partnership with Norton 360 and offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on annual plans. To learn more, visit our LifeLock review or check out the top Lifelock promo codes.

IdentityIQ: IdentityIQ's premium Secure Max plan offers free coverage identity theft protection for family members, while some competing plans at similar price points don't. Even the most basic plan includes $1 million in identity theft insurance, and families are included in the Secure Max plan at no charge with up to $25,000 in identity theft insurance. To learn more, visit our IdentityIQ review or check out the top IdentityIQ coupons here.

Zander: Zander Insurance has two identity theft protection plans, one for individuals and another for families. Plans are less expensive than other companies' offerings, and include comprehensive identity theft monitoring, alerts, and recovery. Zander assigns recovery specialists to every case of identity theft. To learn more, visit our Zander review.

ID Watchdog: ID Watchdog's Platinum identity theft protection plan, which offers three-bureau reporting, is a good value at $19.95. The company also offers family plans. The $19.95 Platinum plan includes customized identity monitoring, and trained specialists assist members whose identity is stolen. To learn more, visit our ID Watchdog review.

IDShield: IDShield features security and privacy monitoring, along with consultation and restoration services. What differentiates IDShield from other ID theft protection services are its full-time licensed private investigators, which members can contact at any time using a mobile app. The company offers social media monitoring to detect fraud and unacceptable posts/behavior, and family plans allow for up to 10 dependents. To learn more, visit our IDShield review.

Experian IdentityWorks: Experian's IdentityWorks has two levels of protection from ID theft for three different groups of people: one adult, one adult and up to 10 children, or two adults and up to 10 children. The Plus plan monitors the three credit bureaus so you can keep tabs on your credit score, dark web surveillance, and Social Security number monitoring. In addition, members can lock and unlock their Experian credit reports to prevent fraud. To learn more, visit our Experian IdentityWorks review or check out the top Experian promo codes.

Identity Theft Is on the Rise

Javelin Strategy & Research found that in 2018, 14.4 million people were victims of identity theft (also called identity fraud) in the U.S. alone. Moreover, the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Sentinel Network reported last year that identity theft had increased by 19.8% from the previous year.

According to a 2020 report from identity verification company GVB, the prevalence of identity theft is starting to dampen consumers' trust that businesses will protect their data. More and more people are conducting transactions online, the report said, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a third of consumers age 75 or older. However, despite the increase in ID theft and other online security threats, according to the report, many companies are not prioritizing security enough on their websites where consumers conduct transactions, preferring to emphasize ease of use instead. In addition, the report found that:

According to the FBI, your identity is most likely to be stolen through phishing attempts, which are suspicious emails that fool you into sharing personal information on fake (but authentic-looking) websites. Another common method of ID theft is to use viruses to attack computers or computer networks to steal data, although this type of attack can be thwarted with good antivirus software.

A recent survey by the security company OpSec found that:

In addition, according to a Consumer Reports survey last year:

An identity theft protection service can't prevent a data breach or other types of identity theft. However, it can keep tabs on your financial accounts, as well as the publicly available information about you on the internet, such as on social media. In addition, an ID theft protection service can provide three-bureau credit reports so you can monitor changes to your credit. Based on the data it monitors, an ID theft protection service will notify you if it looks like you might have been a victim of identity theft. This will allow you to contact your financial institutions and limit the damage the thief can do. Many identity theft protection companies also have U.S.-based case managers who can help you resolve any problems that come up if your identity is stolen

In addition to subscribing to an identity theft protection service, there are other ways to avoid ID theft. These include regularly reviewing credit and bank accounts and setting your own alerts with financial institutions. For more information, see 10 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft.

Below, we explain why you might want to subscribe to an identity theft protection service, what to look for when shopping for one, and other important information.

Why Buy an Identity Theft Protection Service?

You have some protection against identity theft without an identity theft protection service. For example, credit card companies offer some protection, such as by providing notifications of suspicious charges. They also offer resolution services for disputed charges. In addition, it's easy to review your credit card and bank accounts online or with a mobile app.

Whether an identity theft protection service will actually offer more protection depends on how diligent you are, says Robert Douglas, an information and security consultant and certified identity theft risk management specialist. “If you honestly don’t look at bank statements that often and won’t use these tools yourself, then an identity theft protection service functions by standing in for you and giving you the monitoring capabilities that you might already have with [credit cards and banks],” he says.

An identity theft protection service also can monitor all of your accounts and provide instant notifications of possible ID theft on an online dashboard. Moreover, the company's customer service department can help you recover your identity if it's stolen. However, it's important to note that subscribing to an identity theft protection service won't actually prevent ID theft or protect your personal information, notes Robert Siciliano, CEO of Safr.me and designer of an identity protection security awareness training program. Rather, an ID theft protection service helps to quickly identify possible instances of ID theft and recover from them, which can limit the damage that an identity thief causes.

Do I Need an Identity Theft Protection Service?

Anyone can be a target of identity theft. That said, college students, children, and the elderly are the most common victims. In this digital age where we bank, shop, socialize, and pay bills online, our data is everywhere. “I tell my clients to assume that their information has already been stolen,” Douglas says. This means that everyone should consider signing up for an identity theft protection service.

People who have personal experience with fraud are especially drawn to these services. “More often than not, consumers engage services such as these as a result of fraud happening in their own lives or to someone close to them,” Siciliano says. “Or, they're very concerned about all the various media reports that they see and recognize the risk.”

Make sure you feel comfortable handing over your information to an identity theft protection company, including sensitive data like bank account and Social Security numbers, Douglas says. “I’m not aware of any ID protection service that has been the cause of a breach to date, and after all, what they are really doing is monitoring,” he says.

What Should I Look for in an Identity Theft Protection Service?

Identity theft protection companies primarily provide identity monitoring, identity recovery, and credit reporting. Specific services can include alerts and reports about suspicious account activity, dark web monitoring, computer protection, and others.

Cheaper plans offer fewer services than more expensive plans. Many basic plans provide credit monitoring, credit reporting, and identity recovery services. Extras like credit card and bank account monitoring usually aren't included in basic plans. Some less expensive plans offer limited credit reporting from just one bureau and only monitor Social Security numbers.

With a midrange plan, you get more features like social network and dark web monitoring, alerts to changes of address, tools that can simulate your credit score, and credit card and bank account monitoring. You may also get identity recovery services provided by specially trained customer service representatives.

Premium identity theft services might include things like credit reporting from all three bureaus, medical ID monitoring, file-sharing network searches, reports from sex offender registries, and real-time notifications when someone tries to open a new account in your name. Some companies offer both ID theft monitoring and computer protection, including tools for safe web browsing, protection from malware, a virtual private network, and other enhancements.

The level of protection you need depends on your specific situation, Douglas says. In addition to selecting a company based on the services it offers, Henry Bagdasarian, founder and executive director of the Identity Management Institute, says to look at its privacy policies – how it handles and protects your data. In particular, a good ID theft protection service will undergo periodic independent security audits. “This is the best way for consumers to know the company has gone through an independent security test,” he says. Also find out if the company permanently deletes your data if you cancel its service. “It is likely stored in perpetuity unless their terms of service and conditions say otherwise,” Siciliano says.

In addition, read the terms and conditions carefully. They provide valuable information about what the service does and does not cover, how much guidance the company will provide to resolve identity theft, what identity theft insurance covers, and how the company protects your information. You’ll notice a lot of fine print on the companies' websites, Siciliano says. “There are lots of little asterisks, and you have to read carefully to understand what you are really getting,” he says. “Before you make the investment, understand what your risks are and what could occur, and ask for examples of what the company will or will not compensate for — what is protected and what is not.”

Is Credit Monitoring a Good Idea?

Credit monitoring alerts you to changes on your credit reports, so if someone attempts to use your personal information to open a credit card or bank account, you’ll find out right away. It can be much more difficult and expensive to recover if you don't learn of the fraud for several weeks or months.

For more information, see What Is Credit Monitoring?

10 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

Although it's impossible to completely prevent identity theft, there are strategies you can use to minimize your risk. These include:

For more information, see 10 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft.

How to Report Identity Theft

To report identity theft to the police, you’ll need to:

For more information, see How to Report Identity Theft.

Identity Theft Insurance

Identity theft insurance covers expenses related to resolving an issue arising from identity theft, such as fees for attorneys and accountants. Some identity theft insurance also covers lost time at work, child or elder care. However, it does not cover stolen funds. Check providers’ terms and conditions to find out exactly what their insurance covers.

Identity theft insurance is not the same as homeowners or renters insurance. While you might be able to purchase cyber insurance and identity theft coverage from your homeowners or renters insurance company, the benefits of those policies will depend on their terms and conditions.

On the other hand, identity theft insurance from membership services like LifeLock and Identity Guard is related specifically to recovery costs. For example, if you have to write a letter or do something else to recover your identity, the cost of hiring a lawyer or other professional to perform the needed task would be covered by identity theft insurance in most cases.

Although insurance can be useful, don't select an identity theft protection company primarily based on the insurance it may or may not offer. “The insurance offered should be low on the scale of deciding whether or not you want to use a particular provider," Siciliano says. "It does not have much impact when it comes to proactive protection or even restoring a stolen identity.

Other Identity Theft Companies to Consider

Here are some other brands to consider in addition to the Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021. These companies previously made our rating of the top identity theft companies, but didn’t meet our criteria for our current rating.

Learn More

To learn more about identity theft, see the guides below

How U.S. News Evaluated Identity Theft Protection Service

The following describes our 360 approach to researching and analyzing Identity Theft Protection Service Providers to provide guidance to prospective consumers.

1. We researched the companies and products people care most about.

U.S. News analyzed and compared a variety of publicly available data, including internet search data, to determine which identity theft protection service providers Americans are most interested in. We found 20 companies that stand out in terms of volume of searches and research among consumers, as well as across the different rating sources. Once we identified these companies, we reviewed the different plans and product features available by each company at the time of publication. We then narrowed our list to the best companies in this category.

With the companies determined, we compared available plans and packages offered by each identity theft protection service provider across several criteria to assist the consumer in making the best decision based on their needs. We reviewed the monthly cost, monitoring tools, tech features such as mobile applications and smartphone alerts, technical support, and other plan specific unique features. With careful consideration, we highlighted the most comprehensive plan offered by each company based on the above mentioned features.

2. We created objective 360 Overall Ratings based on an analysis of third-party reviews.

Our scoring methodology is based on a composite analysis of the ratings and reviews published by credible third-party professional and consumer review sources. The ratings are not based on the personal opinions, tests or experiences of U.S. News. To calculate the ratings:

(a) We compiled two types of third-party ratings and reviews:

Please note that not all professional and consumer rating sources met our criteria for objectivity. Therefore, some sources were excluded from our model.

(b) We standardized the inputs to create a common scale.

The third-party review source data were collected in a variety of forms, including ratings, recommendations and accolades. Before including each third-party data point into our scoring equation, we had to standardize it so that it could be compared accurately with data points from other review sources. We used the scoring methodology described below to convert these systems to a comparable scale.

The 360 scoring process first converted each third-party rating into a common 0 to 5 scale. To balance the distribution of scores within each source’s scale, we used a standard deviation (or Z-Score) calculation to determine how each company that a source rated was scored in comparison to the source’s mean score. We then used the Z-Score to create a standardized U.S. News score using the method outlined below:

(c) We calculated the 360 Overall Score based on a weighted-average model.

We assigned “source weights” to each source used in the consensus scoring model based on our assessment of how much the source is trusted and recognized by consumers and how much its published review process indicates that it is both comprehensive and editorially independent. The source weights are assigned on a 1-5 scale. Any source with an assigned weight less than 2 was excluded from the consensus scoring model.

Finally, we combined the converted third-party data points using a weighted average formula based on source weight. This formula calculated the consensus score for each product, which we call the 360 Overall Rating.