FAQ

The best protection against identity theft is prevention. Here are practical steps to help minimize your risk of becoming a victim of criminal identity theft:

1. Monitor your identity and credit report
2. Adjust your privacy settings and be careful what you share online
3. Learn to spot the signs of a phishing attack
   • Learn more: What Is Phishing?
4. Use an identity theft protection service
5. Shred documents with personal data that are no longer needed
6. Don’t use public Wi-Fi or use a virtual private network (VPN) when online
7. Keep your wallet, purse, and physical IDs secure
8. Use unique passwords for every account

Keep reading: Criminal Identity Theft: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Your identity is your most valuable asset and trying to protect it on your own may not be enough. Identity theft can impact your bank account, your credit score, your mental health, and so many other aspects of your life. Identity theft protection helps prevent and spot identity theft, provides coverage if it does occur, and ensures that you have expert support when you need it most.

Keep reading: Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It?

If you have found out that someone is using your identity fraudulently, there are some crucial steps you can take to start disputing the fraud and prevent continued identity theft:

1. Report the crime to local authorities and the Federal Trade Commission.
2. Inform your financial institutions about the fraud.
3. Add a fraud alert to your credit reports through the major credit bureaus.
4. Keep detailed records of all interactions related to the incident.
5. Consider freezing compromised accounts temporarily.
6. Update passwords for online accounts.
7. Monitor credit reports for suspicious activities.
8. Notify the Social Security Administration if your SSN is compromised.
9. Update personal information like PINs and security questions.
10. Watch your mail for signs of unauthorized activity.

Learn more: Identity Theft Victim? Here’s Your Essential Checklist

The earliest signs of identity theft can often seem innocuous and are easy to miss. They might show up as a strange address or new account on your credit report or not receiving bills in the mail that you normally receive.

Learn more here: 8 Warning Signs You Might Be a Victim of Identity Theft

The best way to find out if someone is using your identity is to check your credit report, and monitor your credit report regularly. If you notice activity, accounts, names, addresses, or other information you don’t recognize on your credit report, this could be a sign of identity theft.

Keep reading: What Is Credit Report Monitoring, and Why Is It Important?

The best way to find out if someone is using your Social Security number (SSN) is through identity theft protection services. These services monitor your credit report, the internet and dark web, and your accounts for the earliest signs that someone is using your information, and alert you quickly.

You can also check for signs of fraud on your own, including reviewing your credit report regularly, checking your Social Security statements, and following up on rejected credit applications.

Learn More: How Can I Find Out if Somone Is Using My Social Security Number?

The cost of identity theft protection varies across brands, features, and many other variables. At IdentityIQ, we work hard to keep our identity theft protection services as affordable as possible, so more people can get the protection they need. IdentityIQ services start at less than $7/month.

Get started: See our plans and pricing  

At IdentityIQ, we work hard to keep our identity theft protection services as affordable as possible, so more people can get the protection they need. IdentityIQ services start at less than $7/month.

Get started: See our plans and pricing  

We do not typically offer a free trial, but we do periodically have special offers or promotions.

Join our email list to be the first to know when our next special offers or promotions are going on.

Contact U.S.-based IdentityIQ Customer Care by calling us toll-free at 877-875-IDIQ(4347) during business hours.

Members have two predominant methods to cancel their services. This can be done by calling our Customer Care Team at 877-875-IDIQ(4347) during business hours or, where available, clicking the cancel button from the member dashboard.

Identity theft is the illegal use of someone else’s personal identifiable information (PII) with the intent to commit fraud or gain financial benefits in their name. If your identity or the identity of your child has been stolen, identity thieves may open new credit accounts, file fake tax returns, buy or rent property, or take out loans that wreak havoc on your financial health and credit scores.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any personal information about a person that is maintained by an agency and can be used to verify the person’s identity. PII can include your name, place of birth, SSN, mother’s maiden name, biometric records, educational history, employment history, and more.

It’s important to understand that identity theft can happen to anyone at any time. What we call your identity is the total collection of your PII. This is the information thieves use when you experience a stolen identity. When they gain access to this information, they have the ability to, in essence, become you. If any of this information is stolen, it is considered a breach of your identity.

One of the first questions many people may ask is, “Why would someone want my identity?” For an identity thief, opening credit cards in your name, making fraudulent purchases, or using your personal information when being questioned by the police are just a part of a long list of what they are able to do with your stolen identity. They might:

1. Open new credit cards in your name
2. Make fraudulent purchases
3. Log in to personal accounts (email, social media, bank, etc.)
4. Open new phone and utility accounts in your name
5. Clone your ATM or debit card
6. Change your billing address
7. Obtain a new driver’s license or official ID
8. Use your identity when questioned by police

It’s important to understand that identity theft can happen to anyone at any time, and can cause harm in your life and cost you time and money even if you are not worried about your credit score.

One study by the Federal Trade Commission showed that criminals acted on stolen information within nine minutes of getting the data. It is important to understand how identity theft can happen and act quickly when it does.

It may seem like magic when someone else mysteriously accesses your personally identifiable information, but knowing how identity theft happens removes the mystery and puts the control back in your hands. So, how do thieves steal an identity?

Here are a few of the most common ways your identity could be vulnerable to theft:

1. Unsecured Web Surfing: Think about all the times you’ve been connected to public Wi-Fi while on the go. Maybe you were reading emails while in line at the coffee shop, or checking your bank account while waiting at the doctor’s office. Unless you were logged into a secured, encrypted Wi-Fi network that requires a password, any data transmitted during your online session could be vulnerable to eavesdropping by strangers using the same network.
   • Related: What is a VPN and How Do They Work?
2. Malware: Malware is an umbrella term used to describe any malicious software designed to harm, exploit, or extract sensitive data from a system, device, or network. Cybercriminals use malicious software to access sensitive information they can use for financial gain. Stolen data can include anything from your payment details to your medical records to your passwords and more.
   • Keep Reading: What Is Malware?
3. Dumpster Diving Identity Theft: Thieves may rummage through trash looking for receipts, credit card bills, utility bills, medical insurance, bank statements, and other items with your personal information on them. When they find enough information, they can build a basic profile of your identity and steal it.
   • Related: Synthetic Identity Theft: What It Is and How It Works
4. Mail Theft: The mailbox is sometimes an easy target for a thief. Mail is dropped off, usually before anyone is at home, often leaving bills and documents with your personal information unsecure. Thieves use this as an opportunity to remove important documents to gain insight into your personal life and to gather sensitive information.
   • Learn More: How to Protect Your Mail from Identity Theft
5. Change of Address Fraud: In some circumstances, thieves will reroute your mail by submitting a change of address to the post office. This allows thieves one more point of access to open accounts in your name without your knowledge.
   • Keep Reading: Can Someone Change Your Address Without Your Knowledge?
6. Stolen Wallet or Lost Social Security Card: With your ID, credit cards, or Social Security card in hand, a thief can wreak all kinds of havoc in your life. Most people think to cancel their credit cards, but often don’t know what to do about their stolen identification. The thief could give your information to the police the next time they are caught committing a crime. Your Social Security card can be used to steal your retirement benefits, obtain employment, or access your bank and credit card accounts. This is one of the most serious and impactful types of identity fraud.
   • Learn More: Lost Wallet: What to Do to Protect Your Identity
7. Email and Phone Scams: Have you ever received a call and been asked to verify your security information? It may sound something like, “Mrs. Smith, I have important information about your account, but before I can tell you I will need to verify your address and date of birth.” This is a technique used by thieves to gather the personal information they need to infiltrate your identity. Unfortunately, thieves using this technique have just enough information about you to make you feel secure and lead you to believe the information they have is truly valuable.
   • Related Reading: What Happens if you Open a Spam Email on Your Phone?
8. Phishing: This digital scheme is one of the most common types of identity theft. Phishing scams typically come as an email or text, and ask you to enter personal information like your credit card, account information, or Social Security number. They claim this information is to verify a purchase or to warn you about a security-related event. Phishing convinces you to reveal personal information that allows a thief to steal from you.
   1. Learn More: What Is Phishing?
9. Wireless Hacking: As the Internet is becoming more accessible, thieves are becoming more resourceful. Hackers can connect to public or unsecure home Wi-Fi networks to gain personal information. Once in, the perpetrators have access to install keyloggers that track websites you visit and passwords you enter. This can include banking institutions and social media.
   1. Related: What is a Keylogger, and What Does Keylogging Mean?
10. Shoulder Surfing: There is an opportunity for this type of theft anytime you enter your pin or account information at a public location. Without any technology involved, a thief invades your space and watches you enter your personal information. This can happen at ATM and payment machines, or any time you are online in a public location.
    1. Keep Reading: What Is Shoulder Surfing?
11. Credit Card Theft and Skimming: A popular method among thieves is to get your credit card info with a card skimmer. This type of theft occurs when a thief installs a skimming device onto an ATM or credit card reader. The device can read your card number and pin, allowing the thief to have full access to your account. Other ways thieves get your card information include hacking, data breaches, and unsecure websites.
    1. Learn More: How Do You Protect Yourself from Credit Card Skimmers?
12. Weak Website Security: As technology advances, we all become more willing to place our payment information online. Unfortunately, not every website is secure and encrypted. This opens up the opportunity for a thief to intercept your personal information once submitted. Always ensure that any website you submit your personal information to shows proof of encryption with the https (not just http) identifier in the website address.
    1. Learn More: How to Spot a Fake Shopping Website
13. Data Breach Threats: As our information is distributed and stored digitally, it becomes vulnerable to computer savvy thieves. Hackers have become proficient in breaking into some of the most secure institutions and gaining access to our personal information. Data breaches are becoming an increasingly common threat, meaning more people than ever are having their personal information stolen and sold on the dark web.
    1. Keep Reading: How Can I Protect My Personal Information After a Data Breach?