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“Identity theft protection” and “data removal” are often sold side by side, but they solve different problems. One watches for someone using your identity. The other reduces how much of your personal information is out there to begin with. Here’s how to tell what you need, and what you can do for free first.
Start with what’s free
Before paying for anything, do these. They’re some of the most effective protections available:
- Freeze your credit at all three bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It’s free by law, and it stops new accounts from being opened in your name. You can unfreeze any time you apply for credit.
- Check your credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN to help block tax fraud in your name.
- Use a password manager and two-step login so leaked passwords can’t unlock your accounts.
Identity theft protection: monitoring and help
These services watch for signs someone is using your identity, such as new credit inquiries, your Social Security number on the dark web, or changes to your bank accounts. If something happens, they help you recover, and many include identity theft insurance to cover costs.
Good fit for: families, people who’ve had their data exposed in a breach, and anyone who wants alerts and recovery help in one place.
- Aura: an all-in-one plan that combines identity and credit monitoring with other digital safety tools. Popular with families.
- LifeLock (by Norton): a long-established identity protection brand, also available bundled with Norton antivirus.
Data removal: shrinking your digital footprint
Data brokers collect and sell personal details like your address, phone number, relatives, and age. That information fuels spam calls, scams, and identity theft. Data removal services send opt-out requests to these brokers on your behalf and keep checking that your information stays off.
Good fit for: people getting lots of spam calls and texts, anyone concerned about their address being public, and people with a public-facing job or business.
- Incogni: automated removal requests to a large list of data brokers, from the company behind Surfshark.
Some identity protection plans now fold data broker removal in rather than selling it separately. Aura’s identity theft plans, for example, bundle it in alongside credit and dark web monitoring.
Which do you need?
| If you… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Want to stop new accounts being opened in your name | Free credit freezes |
| Want alerts and recovery help if your identity is misused | Identity theft protection (Aura, LifeLock) |
| Get constant spam calls or want your address off the internet | Data removal (Incogni) |
| Want everything in one subscription | An all-in-one plan that includes both |
The bottom line
Do the free steps first: freeze your credit and lock down your passwords. Then add identity monitoring if you want alerts and recovery help, or data removal if your personal information is all over the internet.
Sources: FTC: Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts, IRS: Identity Protection PIN, AnnualCreditReport.com.