Best ID Theft & SSN Protection Services 2024

Our Overall Top Choice

Award-Winning Security

Aura -Complete identity & SSN protection that secures your data from threatsRead Review

Identity and SSN alerts
Up to $5 million identity theft insurance
3-bureau credit monitoring
Best Sale of the Year! Up to 78% off

CNEThighlights Aura

“Aura is a good choice for you if you want a long-list of credit and identity theft monitoring services at a competitive price point.“ (Jan 2024)

exceptional

9.8

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Why Do I Need to Protect My Social Security Number (SSN)?

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), a Social Security Number (SSN) has become a universal identifier for American citizens. Many government agencies and businesses use an individual’s Social Security card to verify their identity, track their financial history, register them for driver’s licenses and voting, set up new companies, and other vital benefits.

Thus, due to its importance, the SSA reports show that there is a market for counterfeit cards. Cases of stolen SSNs are high, with a joint investigation between the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) unearthing a criminal enterprise selling over 20 million stolen SSNs.

The best social security protection saves you from having to worry about how to put a lock on your SSN or ask questions about “how to freeze my SSN?” when it’s already too late to stop the criminals.

Plus, a Social Security card is much harder to replace than a credit card. While canceling a credit card is a relatively simple process, the Social Security Administration won’t replace a Social Security card unless there is substantial proof that it is being used by someone else. The process can take a long time, require lots of paperwork, and in the meantime, leave plenty of time for bad actors to cause damage to your identity and finances.

What if Someone Has Stolen My Social Security Card?

It’s important to learn what to do if your SSN card is lost because delays in sorting out the issue can be costly. The criminals can use your credentials to access websites, government services, and bank solutions. Included below are some examples of the things criminals may do.

Financial fraud: If someone has gotten hold of your SSN, they can apply for loans and credit cards. Aside from the financial damage this may cause, it will also negatively affect your credit score when loans and payments are not met.

Medical fraud: With your stolen SSN, a thief can receive medical care. This can negatively affect your health insurance and corrupt your medical records with false or inaccurate information, which could have disastrous consequences for you later on.

Tax fraud: Your stolen SSN can help an identity thief get an unlawful tax refund, which is a growing problem in the US. This will delay your own refund and can cause further tax problems later.

How to Protect Your SSN

There are many SSN scams out there and it’s good to be aware of them—this may help you to identify if your SSN is being used by someone else. The best SSN protection services will monitor your financial status, credit cards, bank loan applications, and more to prevent criminals from stealing your information and using it fraudulently.

These protection services will inform you when your personal data has been breached, and you must work with them to immediately restore your identity and any monies stolen from your bank accounts. If you apply other cyber hygiene techniques—such as using a VPN on public networks—you’ll be able to keep your SSN safe.

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166 Reviews

exceptional

9.8

All-in-one ID, financial, and device protection

166 Reviews

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Best for - Best identity theft protection company overall
Starting price - $9/monthly or $108/year
Free trial - 60-day money-back guarantee

All-in-one ID, financial, and device protection

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Aura - Best identity theft protection company overall

Aura provides robust protections against identity theft, including online account surveillance, financial transaction monitoring, and a secure digital "vault" for storing sensitive personal data.

The suite also features a password manager that simplifies the generation and storage of multiple robust passwords. Moreover, Aura's VPN utilizes high-grade encryption to safeguard your online activity, particularly on public Wi-Fi networks. Additionally, they offer AI-powered antivirus and safe browsing tools, which serve as a digital fortress against unwanted site trackers and fraudulent sites.

Aura monitors all three credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends to detect identity theft. The CFPB also advises vigilance for credit check inquiries from unfamiliar companies and suspicious accounts, all of which Aura can oversee for you.

Why we chose Aura: In the event of a data breach, Aura promptly intervenes with security alerts, comprehensive fraud resolution services, and up to $1 million per person in premium identity theft insurance. The platform's sleek, user-friendly interface also showcases a "Protection Summary," conveniently displaying active anti-identity theft measures on a central dashboard.

Our experience: We were impressed with Aura's 24/7 customer support service. We appreciated that their U.S.-based fraud resolution team was always ready to assist us personally in the event of fraudulent incidents. If a breach occurs, the team would collaborate directly with us to develop a recovery plan and resolve the issue.

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Aura Pros & Cons

PROS

Full suite of tools to protect your identity and finances

60-day money-back guarantee for annual plan

24/7 U.S.-based customer support

CONS

Fixed plans, no mixing, and matching

Aura

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110 Reviews

excellent

9.3

LifeLock The Best Identity Theft Protection

Full-spectrum protection from Norton

110 Reviews

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Best for - Best for Norton antivirus users
Starting price - $9.99
Free trial - 60-day money-back guarantee

Full-spectrum protection from Norton

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LifeLock - Best for Norton antivirus users

A product of anti-virus heavyweight Norton, LifeLock boasts the tech, accessibility, and ease that you’d expect from the industry-leading company. Most impressive are the plans themselves, which not only blend online security and ID theft protection but offer more flexibility than usual.

Lifelock’s plans include ID and Social Security number alerts and are offered in tandem with Norton’s 360 suite. This means that combo plans net you VPN services plus solid ID theft features like stolen funds reimbursement that ranges from $25,000 to $1 million dollars, bank account and credit card activity alerts, and even 401(k) investment account alerts on the Ultimate Plus plan.

LifeLock also offers LifeLock Junior, an affordable add-on for children under 18 that includes

Dark web monitoring and file-sharing network searches. All plans include 24/7 live member support and the aide of US-based identity restoration specialists.

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LifeLock Pros & Cons

PROS

Reimbursement up to $1 million

Antivirus and protection from cyber threats

60-day money-back guarantee

CONS

Only worth it if you want Norton 360

Pricing can be confusing

LifeLock

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150 Reviews

excellent

9.1

Identity Guard The Best Identity Theft Protection

Effortless AI-backed data protection

150 Reviews

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Best for - Best for full-spectrum protection
Starting price - $7.20/monthly or $79.99/year
Free trial - Free trial: Yes

Effortless AI-backed data protection

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Identity Guard - Best for full-spectrum protection

Identity Guard has safeguarded over 45 million identities and resolved more than 140,000 cases to date. They collaborate with IBM Watson's AI technology, leveraging its advanced data analysis and predictive capabilities to enhance threat detection.

The service protects your online identity by monitoring the dark web (a notorious hub for cybercrime activities) and alerting you if criminals are selling your personal information. Identity Guard also continuously monitors your personal and financial data, with their U.S.-based support team always at the ready to handle any emerging issues.

Why we chose Identity Guard: With 20 years of industry experience, Identity Guard stands out for providing effective identity theft protection and monitoring services, powered by AI. These services promptly alert you to a wide range of potential threats. They also offer up to $1 million in insurance coverage per adult to cover legal fees and replace lost funds.

Our experience: We found that even Identity Guard's most budget-friendly plan provides top-tier protection from ID fraud. We were particularly impressed by the inclusion of dark web monitoring in this entry-level subscription package.

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Identity Guard Pros & Cons

PROS

Monitors credit score with all 3 credit bureaus

Utilizes IBM’s Watson AI tech for optimal performance

$2,000 emergency cash fund

CONS

No 24/7 customer service

3-credit reporting only with premier plans

Identity Guard

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Best ID Theft & SSN Protection Services 2024
Be proactive - don't wait for it to happen

Don't let a lost social security card cost you your identity. Choose a top ID Theft protection service & rest assured that your SSN is secured.

Our Overall Top Choice

Why Do I Need to Protect My Social Security Number (SSN)?

What if Someone Has Stolen My Social Security Card?

How to Protect Your SSN

Our Top 3 Picks