Best Identity Theft Protection Services for Military

One of our favorite features we found when we reviewed Identity Guard for military personnel is their data breach alert functionality. Data breaches occur when a company you’ve done business with, a financial institution, a medical provider, or a government agency with your identifying information on file gets hacked. This data usually ends up in dark-web marketplaces where identity thieves often buy, sell, and trade the identities of others.

If your personal information is out there, you want to know about it — even if you’re half a world away serving in the military. Identity Guard scans the records of known data breaches and will alert you if your sensitive information could potentially be showing up where it shouldn’t and getting into the wrong hands. This is what we’re talking about when we say they offer proactive protections — something you as a member of the military should actively seek out in your search for an identity theft protection service.

To get a better idea of what they’re bringing to the table while you’re shopping around, be sure to check out our guide to Identity Guard’s plans and pricing.

One of our favorite functions for long-term protection we found when we analyzed NortonLifeLock is their TransUnion credit lock feature, which can be especially useful for military personnel. While managing credit locks isn’t exclusive to NortonLifeLock, it’s a pretty unique feature that we don’t see that often. What is a credit lock, though? Glad you asked.

A credit lock prevents anyone from accessing your credit file before the lock is lifted. This effectively thwarts fraudsters from opening up unauthorized lines of credit or taking out loans in your name. Setting this up before you’re deployed can prevent you from coming home to a financial mess.

If you do, however, find yourself in an identity theft-related bind, NortonLifeLock offers some of the best restorative services out there. If your identity is stolen and you suffer material losses, they’re going to cover you for up to $1 million dollars. They also offer an additional $1 million for any additional expenses you might rack up, and if your case is so complicated that you need the help of lawyers to unravel it — you guessed it — they’ve got you covered for another $1 million.

Keep in mind, though, we’re talking about NortonLifeLock’s top tier of coverage here, which is a little pricey. To see what plan is right for you and your budget, check out our guide to NortonLifeLock’s services and pricing structures.

In 2021, scammers stole $267 million from servicemen and their families through various schemes.1 Active-duty military are often victims of identity theft because they’re too busy serving our country to keep tabs on all their sensitive data, SSNs included. Aura’s individual, couples, and family ID theft protection plans work like a lock box for our bank accounts, credit reports, and personal data, sending instant alerts at the first sign of suspicious behavior and guaranteeing up to $1 million in coverage if we ever fall victim to ID theft.

One of the worst stories I ever heard was about a veteran who was looking to make his pension go a little further but ended up losing everything when he invested in a phony fund. This is what we call “military pension fraud,” a phrase that shouldn’t even exist. But it happens, shockingly often, and it’s just one of many utterly sleazy scams lowlifes who target servicemen may use to clean out their bank accounts. Which is where Aura’s fraud defenses come in.

You can think of Aura’s ID theft protection system like an intricate series of burglar alarms, each set to go off at the slightest tremor of fraud. When Aura senses suspicious behavior, you’ll get an alert on your app — whether you’re halfway around the world or at home with your family.

Speaking of active duty, Aura will also protect your family while you’re away — not just with instant fraud alerts, but proactively, too, with a complimentary virtual private network (VPN) and antivirus software for safer internet browsing. Because crooks will use all sorts of tricks to lure military personnel and their families, including fake websites that charge for (fake) military and medical records.

For a feature-by-feature breakdown, check out our complete Aura review. Aura’s prices — $10-11 per user per month — aren’t high at all. That’s for individuals and couples, by the way. If you grab a family plan, you’ll be paying closer to $7 per head for a family of five.

Although it might be tempting to do so, it’s best to avoid social media altogether when you’re deployed. However, that doesn’t mean that your accounts aren’t vulnerable — and they’re a treasure trove of information for identity thieves. The good news is that IdentityForce has some of the most powerful social media monitoring tools on the market today; they’ll keep you protected from hackers and alert you if anything suspicious is going on in your absence.

IdentityForce also offers a wealth of resources and financial planning tools to help you get on track with civilian life once you return from duty. Their credit score simulator can help you set goals to build your credit, and their resource library can give you information on everything you’ll need to know about anything from applying for your first credit card to securing a mortgage. When we say they’re all-encompassing — we mean it.

Like most services, they offer several different protection tiers. Take a look at our full breakdown of IdentityForce costs to see if they have what you’re looking for.

So we’ve talked about the protections — but what should you do if you think you’ve become a victim? If you’ve purchased an identity theft protection plan already, you’re likely in pretty good shape. If you haven’t, though, there are still immediate steps you should take.