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Home › Pay › Common problems › Identity theft protection services
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Identity theft protection services

Identity theft protection services sell monitoring, alerts and recovery help. Some of that is useful, but many of the strongest protections are free. You can freeze your credit, place fraud alerts, check your credit reports weekly and get a free IRS Identity Protection PIN without paying any company.

Common problems to watch for

  • Fear-based ads after a data breach pushing a fast sign-up
  • Charging monthly for credit freezes or reports that are free by law
  • "Insurance" coverage with limits and exclusions that are hard to find
  • A free trial that rolls into a paid plan
  • Monitoring alerts that notice a problem but don't prevent it

Had one of these happen? Telling others what you were charged helps them avoid it.

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Free and low-cost alternatives

Credit freezeFederal law lets you freeze your credit free at each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. A freeze helps stop new accounts being opened in your name.
Free credit reportsYou can get free weekly credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site.
Fraud alertsYou can place a one-year fraud alert free, which tells lenders to take extra steps to confirm it's you.
IRS Identity Protection PINAnyone with a Social Security number or ITIN who can verify their identity can request a free IP PIN to help block fake tax returns.
IdentityTheft.govThe Federal Trade Commission's free site to report identity theft and get a step-by-step recovery plan.

Availability depends on your device and model. AblePro has no relationship with any company named here.

What fair pricing looks like

Core protections like freezes, fraud alerts and credit reports are free. A paid service should clearly show what it adds beyond those free tools.

Before you pay

  • Freeze your credit free at all three bureaus first
  • Check your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com
  • Read the limits and exclusions of any "insurance" included
  • Ask what the service does that free tools don't
  • Note when any free trial ends

How to cancel

  1. Sign in to the service's website and look for membership or billing settings.
  2. If you subscribed in an app, cancel in the App Store or Google Play subscription settings.
  3. Cancelling a paid service doesn't lift credit freezes you placed yourself at the bureaus.
  4. Keep your cancellation confirmation and check your next card statement.

Step-by-step cancel guide for iPhone, Android and PayPal →

Common questions

Is a credit freeze really free?

Yes. Since 2018, federal law has let people freeze their credit at no cost. You contact each of the three nationwide credit bureaus separately. You can lift the freeze, also free, when you need to apply for credit, then turn it back on.

What's the difference between a freeze and a fraud alert?

A credit freeze blocks most new lenders from seeing your report, which helps stop new accounts. A fraud alert lets lenders see your report but tells them to verify your identity first. Under the 2018 law, a basic fraud alert is free and lasts one year.

What should I do if my identity is stolen?

Go to IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission's free site. You can report what happened and get a personal recovery plan with steps to take. Also freeze your credit, review your credit reports, and contact any businesses where fraud happened.

General consumer information, not legal or financial advice. Reports reflect the experiences and opinions of their writers, not AblePro, Inc. We check reports against our posting rules but do not verify them.