The 4 Most Common Ways Identity Thieves Get What They Need — and How To Make It Harder
In the movies, a data breach is a dramatic event, a la Tom Cruise dropping from the ceiling in "Mission: Impossible." But in real life, thieves can get what they need from everyday transactions like paying bills, applying for loans or filing taxes, often without you even realizing it. You’re careful, you assume everything is protected, but unfortunately, thieves are banking — quite literally — on what you don’t know.
The good news? You can fight back. LifeLock Core offers protection against identity theft and helps you recover your money if the worst happens.
Tax‑Related Identity Theft
With the IRS processing more than 4.6 billion tax forms every year, all that personal and financial information is tempting to identity thieves. During tax season, fraudsters sometimes file a false return using your Social Security number to claim a refund before you do.
Translated into dollars and cents, the numbers are staggering: In 2024 alone, the IRS flagged $16.5 billion in refunds for possible identity fraud. On a personal level, this can delay your refund, damage your credit and cash flow, and derail your financial plans. Victims of tax-related identity theft often wait nearly two years for resolution — not counting the longer process of repairing their finances.
How to make it harder for identity thieves: With LifeLock Core, if your identity is stolen, your own personal U.S.-based Restoration Specialist will work with you to fix the mess, helping you get back on track without added stress. You can also be reimbursed for stolen funds up to $25,000. Out-of-pocket costs like lost wages or document fees may be covered as well, with an additional $25,000 for personal expense reimbursement.
Fraud Through Financial Transactions and Credit Accounts
The most common category of identity theft reported to authorities involves financial fraud — especially credit card fraud, including hijacked or newly opened accounts. These incidents make up a significant share of identity theft complaints, more than any other type in recent federal data.
How to make it harder for identity thieves: LifeLock Core monitors your credit activity and alerts you to suspicious attempts to open new accounts or misuse existing ones. If identity theft does occur, LifeLock Core can help you recover stolen funds and guide you through the resolution process.
Exposure Through Data Breaches
You hear about data breaches in the news, but you may not realize that when fraudsters breach a company you do business with, your name, email address, Social Security number and financial details can end up for sale on the dark web — and you might not know for months.
How to make it harder for identity thieves: LifeLock Core monitors dark web marketplaces. If your personal data appears where it shouldn’t, you’ll receive an alert so you can act quickly and limit the damage.
Data Broker and Information‑Selling Sites
Hundreds of online companies collect and sell personal information, which data thieves can use to answer security questions, impersonate you or launch scams. It’s no wonder one in three Americans say they've been a victim of identity theft.
How to make it harder for identity thieves: Tracking down these data brokers and requesting removal isn’t easy. LifeLock Core’s automated data broker removal service scans 60 broker sites every 90 days and requests removal of your personal information, reducing the amount of easily accessible data that thieves can exploit.
How To Sign Up — and Help Protect Your Data
Identity thieves rely on you not knowing how to protect yourself to steal your identity and hard-earned money. That’s why a resource like LifeLock Core, with 24/7 monitoring, alerts and support recovering funds, can be a strong line of defense. Activate your membership today to get essential identity theft protection.