As the threat of identity theft grows, taking steps to protect yourself is more important than ever. Use these tools to prevent ID theft—or to spot it quickly after it happens.
SEE MORE: The Best Personal-Finance Products and Services of 2015
Best ID Protection Service: Identity Guard Total Protection ($20 monthly) tops its peers, based on tests by NextAdvisor, which evaluates providers. The service monitors your credit report with all three of the major credit agencies, provides score updates, and scans Internet black markets for your Social Security number and bank account and credit card numbers.
Best Password Manager: Dashlane stores and encrypts passwords. Plus, the free program will alert you if a site you use is hacked. For $40 a year, you can sync your account information across multiple devices.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Best Antivirus Software: Antivirus software from Avira scored high marks in testing by the AV-TEST Institute, which evaluates security software. Avira has free software for Windows, but for superior protection, go with Antivirus Pro for $45 annually. Avira’s only antivirus product for Mac is free.
Best Personal VPN: For $40 a year (or $7 a month), Private Internet Access encrypts your Web activity over public Wi-Fi networks and masks your IP address with an anonymous one. You can use it on five devices at once.
Best Test and Voice-Mail Encryption: With mobile app Threema ($1.99 for Windows phone and Apple devices; $2.49 for Android), you can send encrypted text messages, recorded voice messages (but not phone calls), photos, videos and even PDF files to other users of the app without worry that snoops will intercept your conversations. To remain anonymous, you can opt not to link your phone number or e-mail address to the app.
See Our Slide Show: 8 Things Never to Keep in Your Wallet
-
Small Businesses Are Racing to Use AIThe Kiplinger Letter Spurred on by competitive pressures, small businesses are racing to adopt AI. A recent snapshot shows the technology’s day-to-day uses.
-
The Me-First Rule of Retirement SpendingFollow the 'Me-First" rule and you won't have to worry about running out of money when the stock market goes south.
-
Seven Things You Should Do Now if You Think Your Identity Was StolenIf you suspect your identity was stolen, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself, but make sure you take action fast.
-
The 8 Financial Documents You Should Always ShredIdentity Theft The financial documents piling up at home put you at risk of fraud. Learn the eight types of financial documents you should always shred to protect yourself.
-
How to Guard Against the New Generation of Fraud and Identity TheftIdentity Theft Fraud and identity theft are getting more sophisticated and harder to spot. Stay ahead of the scammers with our advice.
-
12 Ways to Protect Yourself From Fraud and ScamsIdentity Theft Think you can spot the telltale signs of frauds and scams? Follow these 12 tips to stay safe from evolving threats and prevent others from falling victim.
-
Watch Out for These Travel Scams This SummerIdentity Theft These travel scams are easy to fall for and could wreck your summer. Take a moment to read up on the warning signs and simple ways to protect yourself.
-
How to Guard Against Identity Theft in 2025Scammers are getting better at impersonating legitimate businesses.
-
New Apple iPhone Update Helps Protect Your SecurityThe new Apple iPhone update that hit phones recently helps protect yourself with security fixes.
-
Smart Ways to Invest Your Money This YearFollowing a red-hot run for the equities market, folks are looking for smart ways to invest this year. Stocks, bonds and CDs all have something to offer in 2024.
