Bitdefender Launches Identity Theft Protection Service for U.S. Consumers

New Offering Delivers Comprehensive Credit and Financial Monitoring Along With Identity Protection and Restoration as a Standalone Service or via Bitdefender Ultimate Security Suite

BUCHAREST, Romania and SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bitdefender, a global cybersecurity leader, today unveiled Bitdefender Identity Theft Protection, a new U.S. consumer service delivering identity threat detection and alerts, 24/7 credit and financial account monitoring, and dedicated recovery services in the event of successful identity takeover. The service helps prevent criminals from stealing or using personal information to drain financial accounts, open new lines of credit, commit medical or tax fraud among other identity-based offenses.

Identity theft remains a significant risk for consumers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported consumers losing nearly $6 billion due to fraud in 2021, an increase of more than 70% over the previous year. Additionally, a recent Bitdefender survey of more than 10,000 consumers found many to practice what is considered high-risk behavior when it comes to data protection and digital identities, including 50% stating use of a single password for all online accounts and regular sharing of personal identification details including name (43%), email address and birthdate (40%) and home address (29%).

"As consumers conduct more personal business and finances online, they need complete cybersecurity protection that not only blocks threats like malware and phishing attempts, but also protects digital privacy and actively secures personal data against theft and misuse," said Ciprian Istrate, vice president, Bitdefender Consumer Solutions Group. "Bitdefender Identity Theft Protection service enables consumers to enjoy online shopping, banking, social media and other activities with peace of mind knowing their financial identity, privacy and personal data is safeguarded around the clock and credit quickly repaired if ever needed."

Bitdefender Identity Theft Protection, developed in collaboration with IdentityForce (a TransUnion brand), is available as a standalone subscription service or through Bitdefender Ultimate Security, a  comprehensive cybersecurity suite that incorporates Bitdefender Total Security antivirus, Bitdefender Premium VPN and Bitdefender Password Manager to protect computers and mobile devices across multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

Key Features of Bitdefender Identity Theft Protection Include:

• Continuous Identity and Credit Monitoring -- Bitdefender combines advanced threat detection capabilities and dark web threat intelligence with 24/7 identity, privacy and credit monitoring to protect users against the theft, sale or illegal trade of their personal, financial and credit information. Monitoring is correlated with data dumps and known breaches to notify users with specifics on what information was compromised such as passwords, addresses or credit card numbers.
• Real-Time Fraud Alerts -- Bitdefender Identity Theft instantly alerts users when personal and financial data is compromised or identity details are used to apply for new lines of credit, mortgages, car loans, wireless devices, check reorders and more. Fraud attempts are stopped in the moment, not after the financial damage has occurred. 
• Complete Identity Theft Restoration Services -- Bitdefender Identity Theft delivers 24/7 support services, personalized mitigation strategies and identity theft restoration if an incident occurs. Certified U.S. protection experts do the heavy lifting of freezing compromised accounts, contacting third parties and completing necessary paperwork to restore identity removing the  burden from consumers.  
• Identity Theft Insurance -- Bitdefender Identify Theft guarantees insurance covering certain out-of-pocket expenses, lost wages and funds stolen from financial accounts, up to $2 million (USD) if a user falls victim to successful identity theft.
• Credit Score Simulator -- A unique credit score simulator helps users foresee how certain financial decisions may impact their credit score. Users can experiment with different credit balances, credit card payments, balance transfers and more, to understand how and why their score changes to make the best financial decision for their situation.

Availability

Bitdefender Identity Theft Protection is available now as an annual subscription or through the Bitdefender Ultimate Security suite. For more information or to purchase, visit https://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/identity-theft-protection.html.

About Bitdefender

Bitdefender provides cybersecurity solutions with leading security efficacy, performance and ease of use to small and medium businesses, mid-market enterprises and consumers. Guided by a vision to be the world's most trusted cybersecurity solutions provider, Bitdefender is committed to defending organizations and individuals around the globe against cyberattacks to transform and improve their digital experience. For more information, visit https://www.bitdefender.com.

Contact:
Steve Fiore
Bitdefender
+1-954-776-6262
[email protected]

SOURCE Bitdefender