Identity theft refers to the unauthorized use of an individual's personally identifiable information (PII), such as name, social security number, bank information, and other sensitive information that can compromise a person’s privacy, security, and financial assets.

You can protect yourself against identity theft by securing your personal information -- online and offline. Make sure to engage in best practices such as using strong passwords, protecting your devices with updated security software, monitoring your bank transactions, securing your personal documents, and minimizing the amount of information you share online. ​

For proactive protection, McAfee® can actively monitor your sensitive information and give step-by-step guidance when you need it the most.

Begin by analyzing the situation and reviewing the compromised information. Then, notify the relevant authorities, such as your bank, coverage agency, a local police station, or a national cybercrime complaint center. While the relevant authorities are helping you with the case, check and secure your financial accounts, devices, and proof of identity.

The most common form of identity theft is financial identity theft, which refers to any type of theft when someone uses another individual’s information for financial gain. Some examples are New Account Fraud, Account Takeover Fraud, Business Identity Theft, and Tax-Related Identity Theft.

You must report identify theft to the FTC at https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/assistant or 1-877-438-4338. Prepare your personal identity documents such as ID cards or SSN to verify your name, utility bill/mortgage statement for address verification, along with bank or credit card statements to show where fraudulent transactions took place. The identify theft report proves to businesses that your identity has been stolen.

You can access and manage your identity protection on protection.mcafee.com. 

How did McAfee choose which 40+ data broker sites to monitor?
We selected the sites that we think pose the most privacy threats by looking at a number of criteria, including how prominent they are online, how much data they have in their database, the types of information they collect, and if a site is a data source for other people search sites. While no one can ever be completely immune from privacy and identity risks, knowing where your personal data is being collected and sold is a step in the right direction to reclaiming your privacy online.

How often does McAfee scan for my data on these sites?
We’ll automatically scan for your data every three months if you are enrolled in a plan that supports full-service removal.

How long does it take for McAfee to remove my data?
The time it takes to remove your personal data will vary based on the site. Most will remove your personal data within two weeks, while some can take up to 45 days. For plans that include full-service removal, we’ll reach out to the sites on your behalf, and follow up with them to make sure that your data gets taken down. When it’s all done, we’ll let you know via email and here in your McAfee Protection Center.

Can I request the sites to remove my data by myself?
Yes, you certainly can. However, the process of manually reaching out to each individual people search site is time consuming – you might just find yourself with a new weekend job. You may even have to provide them with more of your info before they will remove profiles about you. McAfee’s Personal Data Cleanup can do this for you.

What does a security freeze do?​
A security freeze stops companies from looking at your credit profile, which halts the application process for loans, credit cards, utilities, new bank accounts and more until the freeze is lifted.​

When should I freeze my credit?​​

A credit freeze protects unauthorized access to your credit report. By freezing your credit proactively, fraudsters can’t open new accounts in your name, even if they have your personal info. A credit freeze has no impact to your credit score. Just remember to unlock or unfreeze your credit information prior to any credit applications.

Credit and bank freezes should be lifted when:

• Applying for a loan
• Applying for a credit card
• Purchasing an item with financing, like a large appliance, car, or house
• Refinancing your mortgage

Utility freezes should be lifted when:

• Changing your phone, TV or internet service provider
• Moving to a different address

Just use the same provided links, sign into your account and follow the instructions to remove a freeze.​

Should I freeze my credit with all 3 major credit bureaus?​
Yes. Creditors may use different bureaus to access your info. Freezing one leaves the other two open to inquiries.​

Will a security freeze prevent identity theft?​
Not all identity theft can be prevented. Freezes can greatly mitigate financial damage by preventing unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name. ​​

Will a security freeze affect my credit score?​​​
No. A security freeze simply stops creditors from looking at your credit files. Your score will not be affected.​​