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 claim a tax refund they aren't entitled to. These acts can ruin the victims credit history and cause damage that can take years to repair. In the meantime, the victim may be unable to secure a loan or make other financial transactions.
To help arm you with knowledge, we rated the BestIdentity Theft Protection Services of 2021. Learn where companies like IdentityGuard, LifeLock, and ID Watchdog place in our rating.
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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 Identity Guard
#2 IdentityForce
#3 IDShield
#3 LifeLock
#3 IdentityIQ
#6 ID Watchdog
#7 Zander
#8 PrivacyGuard
#9 Experian IdentityWorks
Compare the Best Identity Theft Protection Services
Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021
COMPANY MONTHLY COST FAMILY PLANS TRIAL PERIOD LEARN MORE
Identity Guard
4.1 out of 5
$29.99 $23.99 N/A Get Protected
866-892-1252
Exclusive U.S. News Offer: Save 33% 20% OFF Ultra Annual Monthly Plans
IdentityForce
4 out of 5
$23.99 $15.99 30 Days Get Protected
866-375-9375
Save up to 33% OFF Individual UltraSecure + Credit Plans
IDShield
3.9 out of 5
$17.95 30 Days See Review
LifeLock
3.9 out of 5
$34.99 60 days Get Protected
IdentityIQ
3.9 out of 5
$29.99 N/A Get Protected
Expand List
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.
Identity Guard
Identity Guard
866-892-1252
Get Protected
Best Identity Theft Protection of 2021
360 OVERALL RATING
4.1 out of 5
Exclusive U.S. News Offer: Save 33% 20% OFF Ultra Annual Monthly Plans
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$29.99 $23.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
$29.99 $19.99
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Ultra
Price reflects discount
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
Identity Guard (Individuals pay $7.50-$25.00 a month; families pay $12.50-$33.33 a month): Coming in at No. 1 on our list, Identity Guard provides identity theft protection using IBM's Watson computer system. The company scans the dark web for personal information like your Social Security number, and youll 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 companys plans. Artificial intelligence scans millions of articles and social media posts to detect threats. In addition, you can monitor your credit files from the three credit bureaus.
To learn more, visit our Identity Guard review or check out the top Identity Guard coupons.
IdentityForce
IdentityForce
866-375-9375
Get Protected
Best for Social Media Monitoring
360 OVERALL RATING
4 out of 5
Save up to 33% OFF Individual UltraSecure + Credit Plans
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$23.99 $15.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
$23.99 $13.33
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
UltraSecure + Credit
Price reflects discount
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
IdentityForce (Individuals pay $9.99 a month or $99.90 a year; families pay $15.99 a month or $159.90 a year): IdentityForce provides comprehensive identity theft protection, including protection against medical identification fraud, cyberfraud, and two-factor authentication fraud. This top-rated service provides extensive identity theft protection, including less common features like 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.
IDShield
IDShield
360 OVERALL RATING
3.9 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$17.95
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
N/A
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Individual 3 Bureau
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
IDShield (Individuals pay $13.95-$17.95 a month; families pay $26.95-$32.95 a month): IDShield features security and privacy monitoring, along with consultation and restoration services. What differentiates IDShield from other ID theft protection services is 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.
LifeLock
LifeLock
Get Protected
Best for Computer and Device Protection
360 OVERALL RATING
3.9 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$34.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
$29.17
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Ultimate Plus
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
LifeLock (Individuals pay $14.99-$34.99 a month): 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
Get Protected
360 OVERALL RATING
3.9 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$29.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
N/A
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Secure Max
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
IdentityIQ (Individuals pay $6.99-$29.99 a month): IdentityIQ's premium Secure Max plan offers free 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.
ID Watchdog
ID Watchdog
360 OVERALL RATING
3.7 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$19.95
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
$18.25
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ID Watchdog Platinum
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
ID Watchdog (Individuals pay $14.95-$19.95 a month or $149.95-$219.00 a year; families pay $25.95-$34.95 a month or $287-$383 a year): ID Watchdog's Platinum identity theft protection plan, which offers three-bureau reporting, is a good value at $19.95 per month. The company also offers family plans. The Platinum plan includes customized identity monitoring, and trained specialists assist members whose identity is stolen.
To learn more, visit our ID Watchdog review.
Zander
Zander
360 OVERALL RATING
3.6 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$9.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
$9.17
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Elite
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
Zander (Individuals pay $6.75 a month or $75 a year; families pay $12.90 a month or $145 a year): 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.
PrivacyGuard
PrivacyGuard
360 OVERALL RATING
3.5 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$24.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
N/A
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Privacy Guard Total Protection
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
PrivacyGuard (Individuals pay $9.99-$24.99 a month): 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.
Experian IdentityWorks
Experian IdentityWorks
Get Protected
360 OVERALL RATING
3.2 out of 5
MONTHLY PLAN COST
$19.99
ANNUAL PLAN COST (PER MONTH)
$16.67
FAMILY PLAN AVAILABLE
3-BUREAU CREDIT MONITORING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
IdentityWorks Premium
MORE DETAILS
SEE REVIEW
Experian IdentityWorks (Individuals pay $9.99-$19.99 a month; families pay $14.99-$29.99 a month): Experian's IdentityWorks has two levels of ID theft protection for three different groups of people. The groups consist of 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 IdentityWorks promo codes.
Identity Theft Is on the Rise
A recent study by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) found that nearly 30% of people who contact the ITRC are victims of more than one identity crime. The study goes beyond the known financial implications of identity crimes and explores the emotional, physical, and psychological impacts experienced by victims.
According to the study, many of the 427 identity crime victims who contacted the ITRC between January 2018 and December 2020 experienced emotional impacts, physical consequences, and lost opportunities. For example, 10% of the victims said that had considered suicide.
The ITRC particularly focuses on victims of pandemic-related identity fraud. It found that of these individuals:
33% didn't have enough money to buy food or pay for utilities.
40% couldn't pay their routine bills.
14% were evicted for not paying their rent or mortgage.
54% who said they felt violated as a result of their identity being misused.
The Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Sentinel Network reported that identity theft in 2020 had increased by 29.4% from the previous year. A 2021 report by Javelin Strategy and Research found that identity fraud losses in 2020 totaled $56 billion. Although traditional forms of identity fraud such as stolen credit cards were down in 2020 compared to 2021, there was a huge increase in identity fraud scams. This "can be attributed to criminals increasingly targeting consumers directly with scams to gain easy access to a treasure trove of personally identifiable information that enables them to take over a consumers identity," according to a report summary.
Identity fraud scams are relatively easy to perpetrate and target consumers directly, often bypassing ID fraud protections put in place by financial services providers. Unlike with traditional ID theft where a consumer usually doesn't know exactly when their identity was stolen, a consumer often recalls when they became a victim of identity fraud by interacting with the criminal through a text, call, or email. "Identity fraud has quickly evolved through unique societal changes related to innovation, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and criminal tactics that focus on both corporate and consumer targets," the summary said.
A 2020 report from identity verification company GVB found that 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:
Nearly half (47%) of consumers opened an online shopping account in 2020, while 35% opened a social media account, and 31% opened an online bank account.
More consumers now see certain personal data, including their mobile number, email address, and biometric data, as integral to their identity.
COVID-19 has caused a third of consumers to become more worried about fraud.
A third of consumers believe companies are buying and selling their personal information online.
Businesses report that credit and debit card fraud, phishing attempts, and electronic funds transfer fraud are the most common types of online fraud.
Of all the activities people do online, they tend to distrust online banking the most.
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:
48% of global consumers expect to be hit by a data breach at some point in the future.
51% of consumers noticed an increase in phishing activity during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, according to a Consumer Reports survey last year:
74% of consumers are at least moderately concerned about the privacy of their personal data.
Nearly all Americans (96%) agree that more should be done to ensure that companies protect the privacy of consumers.
A majority of smart product owners (62%) worry about the potential loss of privacy when buying them for their home or family.
Experiencing a data breach correlates with a higher willingness to pay for privacy, and 30% of Americans have experienced one.
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.
Make sure your email account is protected with a strong password. Criminals can create all kinds of havoc if they have your email, including committing wire transfer fraud and getting into other accounts online. Also consider purchasing a locking mailbox, as mail theft is another common way that people can steal your identity especially if they can get their hands on bills or other documents with personal information.
Below, we explain more about the benefits of identity theft protection services, what to look for when shopping for one, and other important information. In addition, to help narrow down your choices, we discuss our Best Identity Theft Protection Services of 2021.
