The Easiest Ways To Prevent Identity Theft [8 Steps]

Is It Possible To Prevent Identity Theft?

To prevent identity theft, you need to block criminals from accessing and abusing your personal information, online accounts, and devices. To do so successfully, you need to change your online habits, use digital security tools, and learn the warning signs of common scams.

Identity theft protection services streamline this process by helping you to secure your information — alerting you if you become a victim, and supporting you through the recovery process. No one service, app, or tool can completely prevent identity theft, but they can make it much harder for identity thieves to steal your money and data.

Still, there are steps you can take on your own to safeguard your identity and accounts and minimize the damage caused by identity theft. 

1. Freeze your consumer and credit files

Since the start of 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received over 550,000 reports of identity theft, with the majority of victims stating that their credit cards and bank accounts were targeted by criminals [*]. 

A credit freeze blocks lenders from accessing your credit reports, which can prevent fraudsters from using your stolen information to open new accounts. 

Here’s how to freeze your credit and consumer files:

• Request a credit freeze with each of the three major credit bureaus individually: Experian (online or 888-397-3742), Equifax (online or 888-298-0045), and TransUnion (online or 888-909-8872). To initiate a freeze, you’ll need to verify your identity by providing data such as your birthdate, address history, and Social Security number (SSN).
• For added security, freeze your credit with alternative and subprime credit bureaus and other agencies, such as Innovis (online or 866-712-0021), Advanced Resolution Services (online or 800-392-8911), ChexSystems (online) and LexisNexis (online or 800-456-1244).
• You can also read more about the pros and cons of freezing your credit and when you should do it.

2. Secure your online accounts

If malicious actors access your online accounts, they can scam you and your family, drain your bank accounts, and ruin your credit score and reputation. Keep your accounts secure with strong and unique passwords, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible. 

Here's how to best secure your online accounts:

• Scan for and update compromised passwords. Use a free Dark Web scanner to see if your credentials were leaked in a data breach. Update all compromised accounts immediately.
• Practice effective password hygiene by making sure each account uses a unique, long, and complex password. Avoid easy-to-guess passwords — such as pet names, birthdays, or your mother’s maiden name. Use a password manager to make it easier to create, store, and access complex passwords.
• Enable two-factor authentication on all essential accounts — such as your email, online financial institutions, and government websites. For the strongest security, use an authenticator app, such as Authy or Google Authenticator (instead of SMS), to receive one-time-use codes. 

📚 Related: Are Your Passwords Compromised? How To Find Out →

3. Strengthen your device security

Hackers exploit system and software vulnerabilities to install malware that can infect your devices, spy on your activities, and harvest your data without your knowledge. 

Here's how to best strengthen your device security: 

• Install a reputable antivirus software that scans for viruses, ransomware, spyware, adware, trojans, and more. Antivirus software identifies, isolates, blocks, and removes  infected files before they can do any damage. 
• Set up automatic updates so that your devices regularly install security patches and upgrades. If this isn’t possible, schedule a time to manually check for available updates.
• Only install apps from official app stores (Apple, Google Play, etc.). These marketplaces have stricter security and review processes in place to help prevent you from accidentally downloading malware.
• Look into additional SIM card protection from your cell phone provider, such as T-Mobile's SIM Protection [*] or a SIM lock with a PIN number. 

📚 Related: How To Prevent Identity Theft Online →

4. Register your online accounts

Several government and credit reporting agencies allow users to set up and manage accounts online. If fraudsters claim one of these accounts in your name (before you do), they can change your information or take control of your government benefits and refunds.

Here's where and how to register online accounts: 

• Create online accounts with each of the three major credit bureaus (MyEquifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to keep a close eye on your credit file. 
• Register and validate your identity for an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) account. Request a six-digit Identity Protection PIN to prevent tax-related fraud. 
• Set up your mySocial Security account to monitor and take control of your Medicare, retirement, and disability benefits online.
• Create a Federal Student Aid account to block fraudsters from acquiring student loans in your name (regardless of whether you're in school or not). 
• Set up an online account with your state's Department of Motor Vehicles [*] and unemployment office [*] to manage any licenses and/or unemployment claims in your name. 

📚 Related: What To Do After a Data Breach →

5. Monitor your accounts and information

Bank account and credit card fraud represented nearly half of all identity thefts in the first half of 2024 [*]. If you're not monitoring your account statements and checking if your debit card or bank account numbers have been stolen, you may not learn about fraud until it's too late. 

Here's how to monitor your accounts and information: 

• Regularly review your credit card and bank statements for suspicious or unfamiliar withdrawals and charges. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you notice anything that you didn’t authorize.
• Request and review a copy of your credit report on a regular basis to look for unrecognized accounts and inquiries in your name. You can get a free credit report every week from AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Sign up for a Dark Web monitoring service that constantly scans the Dark Web for your sensitive information and alerts you if it finds any suspicious activity. An all-in-one provider like Aura offers both Dark Web and credit monitoring.

6. Set up account notifications

To help fight fraud, many organizations have introduced security alerts and notifications that inform users of suspicious activity and changes to their accounts. These services are critical for people who don't or can't monitor all of their accounts regularly.

Here's where and how to set up account notifications:

• If you haven't set up a credit freeze, consider placing fraud alerts on your Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion credit files. Alerts, which advise lenders to take extra precautions before issuing new credit, stay on your credit file for one year (or until you remove them). 
• Most banks offer fraud alerts via text or email to warn of unusual transactions, new credit card and bank accounts, and account changes. 
• Register for Informed Delivery from the United States Postal Service to receive scheduled mail and package previews and tracking notifications. 
• Sign up for a credit and financial transaction monitoring service like Aura, which monitors your financial accounts (credit cards, bank accounts, and investment accounts) and sends alerts about suspicious activity in near real-time. 

📚 Related: Is Aura Worth It? Here's How To Know →

7. Reduce your digital footprint

Identity thieves steal personal information from many sources — but sometimes your personal data is publicly available on social media platforms and data broker sites. The easiest way to check if your personal data is exposed online is by using a free digital footprint checker. By reducing your online footprint and practicing good cyber hygiene, you can minimize your attack surface area.

Here’s how to reduce your digital footprint:

• Cut down on the personal information you share online. At a minimum, make sure you remove your email address, mailing address, and phone number from social media profiles and other websites.
• Adjust your privacy settings to limit the data that apps and services — like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram — can collect about you. 
• Delete old accounts and apps to ensure that your personal information is removed. If you can't completely delete your account, change the personal information to hide your actual data. 
• Use the Privacy Rights database to find the contact information and data removal details for brokers (such as Whitepages, People Finder, Spokeo, etc.), and request that they remove your information. You can automate this lengthy process by signing up for a data broker removal service, like the one included on Aura plans, which scans these lists for your information and sends removal requests on your behalf.
• Submit a personal content removal request to Google to have them remove any personal information that threatens your privacy and was published without your consent.

📚 Related: How To Remove Your Personal Information From the Internet →

8. Practice safe online habits

Cybercriminals lurk in many places online, waiting to exploit and steal sensitive data from unsuspecting users via phishing scams, malicious websites, and public Wi-Fi networks. By being mindful of where and how you browse, you can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft.

Here are some tips to stay safe online:

• Use a virtual private network (VPN) when browsing, shopping, banking, and accessing the internet via public Wi-Fi networks. This will mask your identity, IP address, and traffic — preventing hackers from snooping on you.
• Learn the warning signs of phishing attacks — including emails, phone calls (“vishing”), SMS (“smishing”), social media messages, and fake websites that contain spelling and grammatical mistakes or high-pressure tactics. 
• Ignore requests for personal information, such as your Social Security number (SSN), driver’s license, credit card numbers, and Medicare or health insurance information. 
• Consider Safe Browsing tools like those provided by Aura, which warn you of unsecure websites and automatically block sites associated with known malware or phishing scams. 

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Do You Need an Identity Theft Protection Service?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal or financial information to fraudulently gain some benefit, such as taking out loans in your name, getting government assistance, or accessing your online accounts. 

While you can take many steps to help protect your identity, you probably can't monitor all of your personal data and protect against all forms of identity theft on your own. 

That’s why millions of Americans choose to sign up for identity theft protection.

ID theft protection services can take the pressure off of you by monitoring your personal information (across Dark Web forums, data broker sites, public records, and more) — and sending you notifications about any suspicious activity.

For example, with Aura, you get:

• The highest-rated identity theft protection and monitoring that covers your personal information, credit cards, SSN, home title, bank accounts, and more. Aura has been rated #1 by USNews.com, TechRadar, Forbes, and others.
• Three-bureau credit monitoring, plus bank and investment account monitoring, and a single-click Experian credit lock. A 2022 Mystery Shopper survey found that Aura offered the fastest fraud alerts in the industry — notifying customers of suspicious activity faster than the competition³. 
• Automatic data broker opt-out and anti-tracking software to prevent websites and scammers from abusing your digital footprint. 
• Preventative ID theft protection features, such as a secure password manager,  AI-powered spam and scam call and text protection, device protection (antivirus and VPN), and anti-phishing Safe Browsing tools.  
• Identity theft insurance that includes $1,000,000 coverage for eligible losses due to identity theft for every adult member on your Aura plan. 
• 24/7 access to a dedicated team of U.S.-based Fraud Resolution Specialists to help walk you through the necessary steps toward recovery.