Protect Your Identity: DIY or Paid Services?

Kurt Knutsson explains how to protect retirement accounts from cyber threats.

Over 25 million Americans received letters from Conduent Business Services after a data breach. The breach happened between October 2024 and January 2025. It was the largest data breach in U.S. history. The company lost names, Social Security numbers, and health insurance claim numbers. The breach was announced in February 2026. It was called the largest data breach in U.S. history by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The letters apologized and offered free credit monitoring. But can you protect your identity on your own?

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Federal law and tools from the Federal Trade Commission can help. They are free and cover more ground than many people realize. When used together, they close the most common entry points fraudsters target. These tools are useful.

Freeze your credit at all three bureaus. A freeze blocks new accounts from being opened in your name. It has been free at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion since 2018. You can lift it temporarily when you need to apply for credit. This helps protect your identity.

Get an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS. This six-digit code blocks fraudulent tax returns filed using your Social Security number. The IRS issues a new one each year. You can get it at irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin.

Check your credit reports regularly. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion offer free weekly access through AnnualCreditReport.com. Checking once every few months can help you catch suspicious activity early. This is an important step.

Bookmark IdentityTheft.gov. The site creates a personalized recovery plan, generates the affidavit creditors require, and provides prefilled dispute letters. It helps you recover from identity theft.

Opt out of prescreened credit offers. This removes you from mailing lists lenders use for unsolicited credit and insurance offers. You can do this online at OptOutPrescreen at optoutprescreen.com. The process takes just a few minutes.

Free tools can help protect your identity, but they often require time, effort, and ongoing attention.

Turn on two-factor authentication for every financial, government, and benefits account. Even if someone steals your password, they cannot access your account without the second factor. This adds an extra layer of security.

For many people, these steps create a strong baseline. They can protect their identity on their own.

The do-it-yourself approach works until something goes wrong. That is where the gap becomes clear. You may need more help.

The average victim of identity theft spent over 200 hours and $1,343 recovering from identity theft. About one in five reported losses above $100,000. Many also reported significant emotional stress.

The financial impact of identity theft adds up quickly. A report from the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee estimates identity theft tied to major data broker breaches has cost Americans more than $20 billion over the past decade.

Free tools have clear limits. They will not monitor the dark web for your data or remove your personal details from data broker sites. They also cannot contact creditors or dispute fraudulent accounts on your behalf.

Instead, you handle every step yourself. IdentityTheft.gov gives you a roadmap, but you still have to make the calls, file the paperwork, and follow up repeatedly. It can be time-consuming.

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For anyone whose data was exposed in a breach, free tools alone leave real gaps. That is where paid identity protection services come in. They can help monitor your identity.

Paid identity protection services run continuous scans for your name, Social Security number, email, and bank accounts on the dark web. They also scan data broker and people search sites. They submit opt-out requests on your behalf and repeat the process when your information shows up again.

Some plans include identity theft insurance and dedicated fraud resolution support. This can help cover certain losses and reduce the time it takes to recover from identity theft.

Paid services have limits. No service can prevent every breach. However, they can help shorten recovery time. The do-it-yourself approach can still work if you are comfortable managing your own checklist.

See the tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at CyberGuy.com

Paid identity protection services can monitor, alert, and step in when fraud happens. They can help reduce the burden on you.

Most people can handle the basics of identity protection on their own. Free tools cover the biggest risks and help block common types of fraud. However, the situation changes once your data is exposed in a major breach. At that point, monitoring, cleanup, and follow-up can turn into a long and frustrating process.

If your identity were stolen tomorrow, would you have the time and patience to fix it yourself? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

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Kurt 'CyberGuy' Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist. He has a deep love of technology, gear, and gadgets that make life better. He contributes to Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on 'FOX & Friends.' Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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