About the Author
Tom Reardon
20 years inside the identity protection industry. Now giving consumers the honest picture the marketing never did.
I spent over 20 years working in product and operations at major identity protection providers. I built features you’ve probably seen advertised. I sat in rooms where marketing language got written. And I watched, year after year, the gap between what these products promised consumers and what they actually delivered.
The industry provides real value. But there’s a version of this story the marketing never tells, and now that I’m done, I can tell it. That’s what this site is.
I’m not here to sell you anything. I’m not settling scores with former employers. I’m here because I spent two decades as an insider in an industry that most consumers interact with from the outside, and I think that perspective is useful. If you’re trying to figure out whether identity protection is worth paying for, what these services actually do, or what you can do yourself for free, I can give you a straight answer. Not the marketing answer. The actual answer.
A few things I’ll tell you that the industry won’t lead with
A credit freeze at all three bureaus is free, takes about 30 minutes, and is more effective at preventing new account fraud than most paid monitoring services.
The $1 million insurance figure you see advertised covers specific costs, not direct financial losses. Most direct losses are already covered by your financial institution under federal law.
The scenario most people actually worry about, someone getting into their existing bank account or email, isn’t what identity monitoring services are designed to protect against.
How I write on this site
I write everything on this site. When I recommend a service, it’s because I think it’s the right fit for a specific situation, not because of who’s paying the highest commission. When I say something has limitations, it’s because it does. That’s the deal.
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. That doesn’t change what I write. I’d tell you the same thing whether or not an affiliate relationship existed.
Start Reading
Identity Protection
What Identity Protection Services Actually Monitor
Credit monitoring, dark web scanning, SSN alerts. What each one actually does, what it misses, and what that means for you.
Identity Protection
Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It?
The honest answer depends on your situation. A practical framework for deciding who needs a paid service and who is fine with free tools.
Free Tools
How to Freeze Your Credit
Free, takes 30 minutes, and more effective against new account fraud than most paid services. Step-by-step instructions at each bureau.