Users of this best VPN app can now secure their online identity with a new suite of protection tools – and it can be yours without spending a penny.
ExpressVPN has just launched Identity Defender, a security bundle that includes three distinct solutions: an identity theft alert, cyber insurance, and data removal service. These tools are only available for the US market at the time of writing.
As of today, October 30, 2024, the ID suite comes free of charge alongside the feature-packed VPN for all new customers signing up for ExpressVPN's new 2-year plan. More availability is expected to follow suit.
The need for better Identity protection
With digital threats increasingly more widespread and sophisticated, a standalone VPN isn't enough anymore to protect your privacy when browsing the web.
A VPN, short for virtual private network, is security software that encrypts all your internet connections to prevent third parties from spying on your online activities. At the same time, it spoofs your real IP address location for better anonymity while granting you access to otherwise geo-restricted content.
VPN providers, ExpressVPN included, have known this for a while. This is exactly why VPN solutions have evolved over time.
From malware and ad-blocker systems (see ExpressVPN's Threat Manager) to password manager tools (ExpressVPN Keys), now the focus seems to be on better identity protection.
Data coming from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows, in fact, that the number of identity theft incidents reported in the first half of 2024 (552,000 cases) is set to exceed all reports throughout the 12 months in 2023.
Hence, there's a growing need for users to take control of their digital identities with easy-to-use tools that both prevent and recover any losses or damages.
How to use ExpressVPN Identity Defender
"Discovering that your personal information has been compromised is stressful enough, but figuring out what to do next can be an even bigger challenge," said Lauren Hendry Parsons, Digital Privacy Advocate at ExpressVPN.
"With Identity Defender, we aim to provide users with a one-stop solution that not only helps them quickly determine if their information is at risk but also guides them through effective steps to address any issues."
To do that, the provider has launched three distinctive products that, together, provide a comprehensive solution against all the issues related to identity theft.
- ID Alerts is a personal information monitoring tool. It regularly carries out dark web scans, checking for your data, alongside Social Security number (SSN) real-time monitoring to protect you against potential financial fraud. Alerts also include any changes to your address and mail redirection.
- ID Theft is a cyber insurance plan powered by Assurant, providing coverage of up to $1 million for identity theft and assistance with restoring stolen accounts. Data breaches, stolen identity, check forgery, and embezzlement are some of the incidents it covers. For more info, visit the Express website.
- Data removal regularly scans the web to let you know which data brokers and people-search websites hold information about you. It then helps you to ask for the removal of all your collected data.
How to get ExpressVPN Identity Defender
As mentioned earlier, Express has launched its new Identity Defender suite for US users only at this time.
Parsons told me that's mainly because of the nature of the product – the United States is one of the countries with the biggest number of victims, according to Statista – coupled with the fact that the US is the provider's biggest market.
At the time of writing, Identity Defender is also limited to new US users before progressively being rolled out to all subscribers based in the United States. Currently, the provider doesn't have an exact date for when this is due to take place.
Despite being a security bundle, availability differs between the different tools.
ID Alerts comes free of charge with all new subscription plans, while ID Theft Insurance and Data Removal are included only with ExpressVPN's new 2-year plan – which TechRadar's readers can grab with 3 months of extra protection for free. Other subscribers need to pay an extra fee to add these products, starting from $4.39 per month.
Platform availability is also limited to its iOS and Android VPN apps at the time of writing, with more coming soon.
