Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Identity Theft Protection Tightens
Coverage from CNET, CoPIRG Foundation, and others
Articles
11
Latest Article
11/01
Active Days
2777
Executive Summary
Reviews, IRS guidance and consumer tips show how services, freezes and IP PINs help limit identity theft and tax fraud risk
- CNET tested eight identity theft protection services in 2026 and ranked Aura highest
- All reviewed plans offer three bureau credit monitoring and some include family coverage
- Aura adds VPN, password manager and antivirus with broad identity monitoring
- IdentityForce, IDShield and LifeLock focus on higher insurance limits and restoration support
- Experian offers a free tier while paid plans add continuous dark web and bureau monitoring
- IRS guidance says tax ID theft can require paper filing, Form 14039 and an IP PIN
- Credit freezes are free and can block new accounts but not fraud on existing accounts
Quick Facts
- What: Guidance and reviews on preventing and recovering from identity theft
- Where: United States, including tax accounts and credit bureaus
- Why: Identity theft and tax fraud are rising and harder to reverse
- Who: Consumers, IRS, BBB and identity theft service providers
- When: 2021 through 2026, with recent breach references
Coverage Timeline: 2777 Days
Featured Article
Federal Trade Commission guidance on identity theft prevention is presented in a Mississippi State University Extension blog post today.
Additional Articles
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CNET evaluated eight identity theft protection services in 2026, ranking Aura highest for comprehensive PII monitoring, family coverage and bundled security tools in the USA.
Consumer Watchdog advises U.S. consumers on March 7, 2022 to freeze credit files with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to reduce new-account identity theft risk.
Taxpayers in the United States face tax scam and identity theft risks through phone and phishing attempts.
The IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service describes current procedures U.S. taxpayers should follow when identity thieves misuse Social Security numbers to file fraudulent tax returns.
Ten identity theft cases from 2001 to 2025 highlight social engineering, insider credential theft, SIM swapping, and medical and education-fraud schemes, with prevention and recovery lessons.
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FTC and IRS guide individuals to report tax identity theft through IdentityTheft.gov in 2018 on ftc.gov.
Better Business Bureau reports rising identity theft and fraud in the United States and Texas since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Federal Trade Commission offering recovery resources.
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Credit.com outlines steps for US consumers to prevent identity theft using document shredding, mail security, strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and credit freezes.
FTC and partners issue guidance on tax identity theft in January 2019 in the United States.
Consumers access identity theft guidance and resources on the FTC consumer site in the United States, with weekly free credit reports available through December 2023.