Best Identity Theft Protection Services for Military

These services proactively stay up-to-date on data points to protect personnel no matter how long they're serving on tours.

Max Sheridan , VPN & Identity Theft Protection Expert Updated December 23, 2024

Identity Guard®

SecureScore™: 9.3/10

Identity Guard uses IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence platform to offer protections that evolve to meet the ever-changing threat landscape of identity theft. Great news for military members who might be away for long periods of time - this service is constantly evolving to stay up-to-date.

1-855-443-7748

View Packages Links to Identity Guard®

LifeLock

SecureScore™: 9.6/10

LifeLock’s focus on cybersecurity secures your devices and web traffic against hackers, but they also offer powerful core protections to keep military personnel’s identities safe.

1-877-272-7149

View Packages Links to LifeLock

Aura

SecureScore™: 9.5/10

Aura provides high-end theft protection and credit monitoring for military personnel, including account breach monitoring, high-risk transaction alerts, lost wallet remediation, and bank fraud monitoring. It also provides access to extra security tools, like an antivirus and a VPN.

1 (877) 369-1013

View Packages Links to Aura Identity Theft Protection

Identity Guard®

SecureScore™: 9.3/10

Identity Guard uses IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence platform to offer protections that evolve to meet the ever-changing threat landscape of identity theft. Great news for military members who might be away for long periods of time - this service is constantly evolving to stay up-to-date.
View Packages Links to Identity Guard®
LifeLock

SecureScore™: 9.6/10

LifeLock’s focus on cybersecurity secures your devices and web traffic against hackers, but they also offer powerful core protections to keep military personnel’s identities safe.
View Packages Links to LifeLock
Aura

SecureScore™: 9.5/10

Aura provides high-end theft protection and credit monitoring for military personnel, including account breach monitoring, high-risk transaction alerts, lost wallet remediation, and bank fraud monitoring. It also provides access to extra security tools, like an antivirus and a VPN.
View Packages Links to Aura Identity Theft Protection

Top Identity Theft Protection Services for Members of the Military in 2025

Identity Guard® - Using cutting-edge technology, Identity Guard protects proactively and dynamically.
LifeLock - Offers some of the best identity restoration services on the market.
Aura - Complete fraud defenses backed by high-end identity theft protection and extra security tools.
IdentityForce - IdentityForce is a well-rounded option for comprehensive protections suitable for most privacy-minded folks.

In 2023, scammers stole $477 million from active-duty personnel and their families, as well as veterans. 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.

It’s also important to understand that the stakes are a lot higher for a member of the military as opposed to the average civilian. An identity theft incident for military personnel can have severe consequences, including the revocation of security clearances, potentially derailing entire careers. It pays to keep yourself protected.

If you are in the military and are frequently on active duty, understand you’re a preferred target of identity theft. You really can’t afford to be without protection. Investing in an identity theft service like the ones mentioned in this guide is your best possible option to protect your military and civilian life with as little disruption as possible.

1-855-443-7748

View Packages Links to Identity Guard®

1 Identity Guard® - Best Overall for Military Personnel

SecureScore™ 9.3

Customer Service

9.2

Value

9.3

Features & Services

9.3

Ease Of Use

9.4

SecureScore™

9.3

How We Review

Overview:

Identity Guard is one of our favorite services, and for good reason. They’ve partnered with IBM to leverage the power of the company’s Watson artificial intelligence platform, meaning that their protections are getting smarter every day. That’s important for military personnel who may not be able to pay attention to their credit reports, financial accounts, and other early indicators of identity theft for long periods of time.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

Affordable basic identity monitoring
Family plans cover five adults so they can work for small businesses
Tiered subscriptions means you can customize your protection to fit your business
U.S.-based customer service and expert fraud resolution
Near real-time alerts

Cons:

No specific plan for couples
Entry-level Value plan lacks credit and financial monitoring, as well as identity resolution
Total and Ultra Family plans are expensive, at $29.99 and $39.99 if billed monthly
Insurance coverage is the same regardless of the plan
No dedicated fraud resolution service in Value plan

Our Experience:

In our Identity Guard review, we were really impressed with its data breach alert functionality. And we think this tool is very useful for military personnel. 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 on dark web marketplaces where identity thieves often buy, sell, and trade the identities of others.

Did You Know? Data Breaches are serious business. If your information is leaked, there’s a one in five chance you’re going to become the victim of identity theft.

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 is compromised.

We also like how Identity Guard provides high-risk transaction monitoring, up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, and triple-bureau credit monitoring. It’s also great how all plans include access to a password manager that secures your logins and even provides protection against phishing attacks (many criminals target military members with phishing links).

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. Also, keep in mind that you might get exclusive savings when buying Identity Guard if you’re a member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). 2

Product Specs:

Identity monitoring	Yes
Credit monitoring	1-bureau or 3-bureau (except Value plan)
Insurance	Up to $1 million
Free trial	No
Money-back guarantee	60 days (long-term plans)

1-877-272-7149

View Packages Links to LifeLock

2 LifeLock - Best App Design

SecureScore™ 9.6

Customer Service

9.6

Value

9.5

Features & Services

9.6

Ease Of Use

9.7

SecureScore™

9.6

How We Review

Overview:

LifeLock is an excellent pick for military personnel looking for high-end identity restoration services, alongside great credit monitoring and identity theft protection. Highlights include up to $3 million in identity theft insurance, a TransUnion credit lock, a payday loan lock, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) alerts.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

Up to $3 million in identity theft coverage per adult
Can be bundled with Norton 360, a high-quality antivirus
Includes alerts for bank account takeovers, and 401(k) and investment accounts
All plans include at least $1 million in identity theft coverage
Quality notifications with helpful descriptions and tips for minimizing exposure

Cons:

Expensive even with an annual plan discount
Only the highest subscription tier includes three-bureau monitoring (the others have just one-bureau monitoring)
Prices increase after the first year

Our Experience:

When we reviewed LifeLock, we really liked that it comes with a TransUnion credit lock, and even a payday loan lock. These features are particularly useful for military personnel. That’s because credit and payday loan locks prevent 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.

Did You Know? There’s also a similar function called a credit freeze. These take a little longer to set up and undo, and they offer different legal protections for different kinds of identity theft compared to standard locks. We recommend contacting the credit monitoring bureaus to discuss your situation and figure out which option might be best for you.

And if you become the victim of identity theft, LifeLock offers some of the best restorative services in 2025. 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, they’ve got you covered for another $1 million.

Keep in mind, though, that what we mentioned above only comes with LifeLock’s highest subscription tier, which is a little pricey. To see what plan is right for you and your budget, check out our guide to LifeLock’s pricing structure.

Product Specs:

Identity monitoring	Yes
Credit monitoring	1-bureau or 3-bureau
Insurance	Up to $3 million
Free trial	30 days (standalone LifeLock plans) 7 days (LifeLock-Norton 360 bundles)
Money-back guarantee	60 days (long-term plans) 14 days (monthly plans)

1 (877) 369-1013

View Packages Links to Aura Identity Theft Protection

3 Aura - Best Fraud Monitoring

SecureScore™ 9.5

Customer Service

9.6

Value

9.2

Features & Services

9.6

Ease Of Use

9.5

SecureScore™

9.5

How We Review

Overview:

Aura offers excellent fraud prevention and monitoring for active-duty military personnel, their families, and even veterans. It easily detects pretty much any type of fraud. Plus, it keeps your devices and web data safe via additional security features.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

Affordable comprehensive coverage at $22 per month with the annual plan
Top-notch customer service and fraud resolution
Includes VPN, antivirus, and a password manager

Cons:

Only one tier of protections
Can be difficult to navigate for movie users

Our Experience:

In our Aura review, we were particularly impressed with the service’s fraud monitoring. It provides excellent bank fraud monitoring, alerting you if someone tries to add new account holders or modify your bank account’s personal information. In addition, it also monitors transactions for credit card, investment, and banking accounts. And it alerts you if any information related to your investment accounts is exposed on the dark web.

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.

Did You Know? Fraudsters have been known to target veterans looking for jobs and educational opportunities. If the application includes a blank line for your Social Security number or bank details, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately.

If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at Aura’s prices and plans, check out our full Aura pricing guide. Keep in mind that even though this service is pricey, it provides excellent value — and it also comes with a 14-day trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Product Specs:

Identity monitoring	Yes
Credit monitoring	Three bureaus
Insurance	Up to $1 million
Free trial	14 days
Money-back guarantee	60 days

4 IdentityForce - Best Reporting Features

SecureScore™ 8.5

Customer Service

8.7

Value

8.6

Features & Services

8.3

Ease Of Use

8.4

SecureScore™

8.5

How We Review

Overview:

Simply put — while testing and reviewing IdentityForce, we found it to be an absolute workhorse. They proved all around, comprehensive protections from credit monitoring and reporting, to financial account alerts, to cybersecurity protections. They’re a great choice for anyone looking for a little bit of everything.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

Comprehensive, 24/7 identity theft monitoring
3-bureau credit monitoring, scoring, reporting
Cyberbullying, phishing, and ransomware reimbursement
Exclusive digital safety protections for families
Extremely detailed reports
Actionable notifications
Excellent desktop interface with intuitive design
VPN access through mobile app

Cons:

No couples-specific plan
Underwhelming mobile app
Somewhat high price tag

Our Experience:

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.

Did You Know? About 22 percent of internet users say their social media accounts have been hacked at least once.

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, from applying for your first credit card to securing a mortgage.

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.

Product Specs:

Identity monitoring	Yes
Credit monitoring	3-Bureau
Insurance	Up to $2 million
Free Trial	30-Day
Money-back guarantee	Yes (prorated)

Why Are Military Members Often the Targets of Identity Theft?

It’s mainly due to the military lifestyle, which doesn’t always allow military personnel enough time to monitor certain aspects of their civilian life. In many cases, military service members are so far detached from their civilian life that identity thieves know their crimes are likely to go unreported. In addition, service members are also often targeted because identity thieves know they receive steady paychecks that pile up in their accounts.

Frequent relocations also contribute to this issue. Basically, this can often lead to sensitive documents being exposed, which criminals can intercept. Another problem is that military documents might be stored in public databases or systems with weak security, which hackers can easily compromise.

What Are the Most Common Types of Military Identity Theft?

Our research shows that military service members are likely to fall victim to these types of military identity theft:

Relocation military identity theft. Frequent relocations can lead to military documents being exposed or stolen by identity thieves.
Fraud involving healthcare or veterans’ benefits. Criminals could use stolen information to exploit a military service member’s healthcare or veteran benefits systems (like Veterans Affairs benefits).
Phishing attacks. Criminals often target military personnel with phishing attacks via email, text, or phone. They often impersonate military groups (like the Defense Finance and Accounting Service), and try to compromise your Social Security number, bank account details, and other sensitive information.
Fraudulent credit accounts. Identity thieves could use a military member’s stolen information to open credit cards or take out loans.

How to Protect Yourself From Military Identity Theft

These are the best measures to take to prevent military identity theft:

Set up an active duty alert. This means notifying one of the three bureaus of your active duty status. This type of alert makes it harder for identity thieves to open unauthorized accounts using your personal information. Placing an active duty alert is free, and you only need to notify one bureau — once you do this, said bureau will notify the other two.
Take advantage of free credit monitoring. As a member of the military, you have the right to free credit monitoring from one of the three bureaus. It’s worth activating this, as it will notify you of key changes to your credit report, set up automatic fraud alerts, and more.
Check your bank accounts regularly. Closely monitor your bank accounts to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions.
Consider having your credit files locked or frozen. This will prevent any unauthorized person from taking out a line of credit or loan in your name.
Secure sensitive documents. It’s important to store important military documents in a secure place during deployment. Also, you should only use secure channels to access sensitive documents — for example, only access them via a virtual private network (VPN), which encrypts your web traffic.
Update passwords regularly. Change your passwords at least once per month, and make sure to only set up secure logins (at least 16 characters long, use numbers, and use symbols). Consider also using a password manager, which protects your logins and helps you quickly generate strong passwords.
Set up 2FA/MFA on your accounts. If your bank, social media, or email account supports 2FA/MFA, definitely set it up. 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) and MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) add another step in the login process — for example, you might need to add a time-sensitive code generated on your phone in addition to your password. This way, if criminals compromise your password, they still can’t use it to access your account.
Secure your devices. We strongly recommend using an antivirus program on your device. This is a security app that will protect your device from malware infections.
Ignore suspicious links. Take a time to double-check a link you receive via an email, messaging app, or social media platform. If it’s shortened, doesn’t seem official, contains typos, or just feels shady, don’t click on it — doing so could take you to a phishing site or infect your device with malware.

Did You Know? Identity theft services include many identity and credit monitoring features that make it much easier to keep your data safe. For example, they scan the dark web for leaked data associated with you, and provide alerts for suspicious financial transactions. Some of them (like Aura) even provide access to extra security services, like an antivirus, a VPN, and a password manager.

What to Do If You Are Deployed and Suspect Identity Theft

If you are deployed and you suspect identity theft, you should react as quickly as possible. Before you panic, stop and analyze the situation. What type of identity theft has occurred? As you start to unpack the situation, keep meticulous notes with names, dates, and times including records of all your actions.

If you’ve invested in an identity theft protection service, contact them first, as almost all of them provide access to identity restoration services. Their resolution specialists will give you direction based on your specific situation, and they’ll handle a lot of the legwork for you.

That said, here are the general, rule-of-thumb steps you should take. Note, however, that every identity theft incident is different, and your specific needs might deviate from this list.

General Steps to Identity Theft Restitution

Place a fraud alert with one of the three national credit reporting agencies, Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. Once you put a fraud alert on one credit bureau they will notify the other two, and all three will add extra layers of scrutiny to all new credit inquiries.
Lock or freeze your credit files. This will prevent any unauthorized person from taking out a line of credit or loan in your name.
Check every one of your financial accounts for fraudulent activity and closely review all three of your credit reports.
File a report with the authorities, and contact any organizations where fraudulent activity occurred.
Check if your military base has a legal office. If it does, they will likely provide you with free legal support.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Check your computer and mobile devices for viruses and malware.
Fill out the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Affidavit to secure your proof of identity. This will be important in proving that you are who you say you are — probably for years to come.
Take advantage of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). This is a federal law that provides protections to active-duty military members that have been affected by identity and financial fraud.

After an identity theft incident has occurred, it could take hundreds of hours to straighten everything out, and this process could take years. The good news is, if you have a solid identity theft protection service working for you, they will take care of most (but not all) of this for you.

Features of Identity Theft Services for Military Personnel

It's particularly important for military personnel to have the very best identity theft protection with all the right features, especially since they are a preferred target for identity thieves. Therefore, consider taking some time to learn and thoroughly understand all the different options available to you. Then compare those options to narrow down which service best fits your particular needs. This is the only way you will be able to make an educated decision about which service is right for you.

Here are some of the most common features of identity theft services for military personnel in 2025.

SSN Monitoring

SSN monitoring is a value-packed feature for military personnel. After all, your SSN is often needed to complete piles of paperwork. So it’s natural you’d become a prime target for identity theft. SSN Monitoring searches billions of data points to ensure your SSN isn’t being used fraudulently. If it is, you’re alerted immediately.

Social Media Monitoring

Military personnel should be especially vigilant on social media. Thieves are constantly lurking and searching for an easy target. Once they find and scrape your personal info, they sell it via the dark web, hacker forums, and other underground trading zones. Social media monitoring is a feature that protects you from account takeovers, scams, or phishing.

Dark Web Monitoring

The dark web is a dangerous place where your identity could fall into the wrong hands and cause great harm. This feature dives deep to scan underground websites, hacker forums, and other illegal marketplaces where cybercriminals buy, sell, and trade identities.

Identity Theft Insurance Coverage

Identity theft insurance could save you thousands of dollars, perhaps even more. The priceless coverage puts money back in your pocket should you fall victim to costly identity theft. This coverage brings peace of mind for military personnel who are often not around to deal with the fallout. Most top identity theft protection services offer insurance of up to $1 million.

Payday Loan Monitoring

Identity thieves could use your personal information to take out a payday loan in your name. Some top identity theft protection services offer monitoring features that alert you if your personal information is used to take out a payday loan.

Lost Wallet Protection

Lost wallet protection is offered by most ID theft protection services for the military. Whether you’re stationed in the U.S. or abroad, you could misplace your wallet. But with lost wallet protection, you get assistance with replacing credit cards, driver’s licenses, and other sensitive information.

Address Change Verification

Identity thieves could forward your mail to a different address and open accounts in your name. Often, you might be too busy serving our country to receive the address change notice. So this feature monitors for suspicious mail activity and alerts you if necessary.

Identity Restoration

Identity restoration is a full-service feature offered by many identity theft protection companies. In the event your identity is stolen — whether stateside or abroad — a team of experts will work to restore your identity to pre-fraud status.

Top

Citations

SafeHome.org only uses high-quality sources to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Association of Attorneys General. (2024, Nov 21). A Staggering $477 Million Stolen in 2023. https://www.naag.org/attorney-general-journal/a-staggering-477-million-stolen-in-2023/
Military Officers Association of America. (2024). Identity Guard. https://www.moaa.org/content/benefits-and-discounts/exclusive-discounts/electronics-and-technology/identity-guard/

Written By

Max Sheridan

Identity Theft Protection Expert

Max Sheridan brings over two decades of writing experience to our team. He has spent 1,000-plus hours researching VPNs, identity theft protection, and various topics in cyber technology. Previously, Max was an investigative journalist, and he is also a published novelist. He earned a B.A. in Classics from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Classics from the University of Illinois. He currently lives in Nicosia, Cyprus.