According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Fraud and ID Theft Maps, there were 748,553 reports of ID theft over the first half of 2025. Your identity, data, and information have all become some of the biggest commodities in today’s economy, which means protecting your digital privacy is a priority. But what are the best ways to do that in 2026? We take a look at the steps you can take to protect yourself, as well as services that can offer even more security.
Identity Theft Protection Tips and Best Practices
Step one is to look at what you are doing online and make sure you’re following best practices for ensuring your information is safe. So what are the most commonly recommended tips and techniques for protecting yourself?The Importance of Passwords
According to NordPass(R), the top 3 most common passwords in the U.S. are: admin, password, and 123456.Just so we’re all on the same page: These are not safe or secure passwords.
To protect your data, you need to follow the latest password standards put out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology:
• Length beats complexity — At minimum, they should be 12-16 characters, and NIST recommends longer passphrases
• Avoid common and compromised passwords — You can check using Have I Been Pwned
• Disable security questions — Instead, use multi-factor authentication like hardware security keys or authenticator apps
• Use password managers — This reduces the reliance on human memory and eliminates the temptation to reuse passwords
Sharing and Socials
“The internet is forever,” or so the saying goes. Everything you put out about yourself online forever becomes part of your digital fingerprint and can be potentially leveraged by identity thieves. If you’re being asked for sensitive data, like your Social Security number, your birthdate, etc., you need to question why. Is it mandatory? Is the requestor legitimate? Is the site secure?But also, you need to be careful even about stuff you share casually on your socials. The names and/or birth dates of loved ones can be used to answer security questions or guess a password. A selfie of you on your street gives people the opportunity to suss out your location and address. Being mysterious on the internet is a good thing.
Don’t Go Phishing
In general, phishing is a term for identity thieves and frauds who lay bait for victims by pretending to be a representative from a bank or a government agency, law enforcement, company, and more, usually over email but also through texts or phone calls. Their goal is to trick you into revealing sensitive information, so stay skeptical, don’t trust any unsolicited messages that are rushing you to take immediate action, and never click on links and attachments from unknown, unverified sources.Monitor Your Credit and Your Finances
Staying engaged and alert when it comes to your financial situation can go a long way toward protecting your identity. That means checking your statements — bank statements, credit card bills, etc. — for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals. If you spot suspicious activity, report it immediately.You should also check and monitor your credit reports from at least one of the three main credit bureaus once a year or more.
Shield Your Data
This means setting up secure locks on any digital devices — laptops, tablets, smartphones, and so on. Biometrics are one of the most secure options, in the form of a fingerprint scan or facial ID, but even better than that is utilizing a combination of different techniques. When you’re out and about, be very careful about using public Wi-Fi networks and don’t access sensitive accounts while you’re on one. Having a virtual private network (VPN) is the best way to safeguard your data while you’re away from home.Set Up Alerts
Your bank, your credit card provider, your budgeting app — all of them give you the option of setting up alerts for things like high-dollar purchases, account changes, low account balance, and more.
Identity Theft Protection Resources and Services
Beyond what you yourself can do, there are also a lot of companies that provide a wide variety of tools for protecting your digital privacy:Free Identity Protection Services
IdentityTheft.gov — This site was created by the U.S. government to be a one-stop resource for identity theft victims. By chatting with them, they can help design a personal recovery plan.AAA ProtectMyID(R) — AAA members can get a free version of these plans, which are monitoring products designed to help you identify and resolve identity theft incidents, with $10,000 in identity theft insurance.
Experian IdentityWorks(R) — While there are premium options, Experian also offers a free version, with free Experian credit reports and FICO scores, credit monitoring and alerts, and the FICO score tracker.
Identity Protection Software and Subscriptions
If you want something more comprehensive and have the budget for it, these software services can cast a wide net of protection, from antivirus and malware defense to monitoring the dark web for data breaches. Here are a few of the prominent ones:• Aura
• IDShield
• IdentityForce
• Bitdefender
Stay Shielded, Stay Safe
Taking steps to protect your identity and your information in advance can save a lot of headaches in the long term and avoid getting yourself into a stressful financial situation. If you’re staying aware and alert about what information you’re sharing, you can keep your online spaces safer and more secure.
WITHU INSIGHTS TEAM
WithU Insights is powered by a team of writers and strategists who are passionate about sharing our knowledge of the ever-changing financial landscape. Through educational articles and resources, we aim to empower you to navigate your finances and life with purpose.
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