McAfee Identity Protection Service Frequently Asked Questions

McAfee Identity Protection Service (IDPS) supersedes the older McAfee Identity Theft Protection Service (IDTP).

These McAfee offerings have similar names, but there are some important differences. View the list of common questions and answers, below, to learn more about the new McAfee Identity Protection Service.

Subscription and Setup

• I received an invitation to the new McAfee Identity Protection Service. Why did I receive this invitation?
  You have been chosen to take part in the early release of our new Identity Protection Service. You were chosen based on your past use of McAfee Identity Theft Protection. We value your feedback, and want to give you the chance to tell us about your experiences with the new Identity Protection Service.

• What happens if I don’t accept the invitation?
  The invitation is purely optional; You don’t need to accept, or test out the new service. Nothing changes with your subscription if you don’t join. But, the Identity Theft Protection service will be phased out over time, and replaced with the new Identity Protection Service. So you might want to start exploring the new service to see what’s in store

• Where can I access my current McAfee Identity Theft Protection service?
  The McAfee Identity Theft Protection portal is still available at IDTheftProtection.mcafee.com. This portal remains available throughout the launch of the IDPS service period and beyond. So you can always sign into your existing Identity Theft Protection service.

• Is McAfee Identity Protection Service available for customers outside the United States?
  Yes. The early release of IDPS provides coverage for customers in the following countries:

• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

• Does transitioning to IDPS cost me anything?
  No. Nothing changes with your subscription when you transition to IDPS.

Identity Protection Service features

• What is McAfee Identity Protection service “Essentials”?

• Dark Web monitoring
• Built-in guidance, making sure that the best course of action is always recommended to you
• Browser extension with integrated identity protection
• Real-time alerts via SMS, email or both
• Centralized management portal
• 24/7 dedicated specialist support
• Monthly report

• My McAfee product allows me to cover multiple devices for myself and members of my household. How many identities does McAfee Identity Protection Service cover?
  Currently, only one. The subscription is granted to the wp-signup.phped McAfee account holder.

• How do I set up McAfee Identity Protection Service to protect my identity?
  Go to protection.mcafee.com and type your McAfee login credentials (or click the link in your beta invitation email). Follow the steps to enroll. When you have enrolled with your McAfee account email, we begin scanning for your information in the dark web immediately.

• I have already filled out my PII in McAfee Identity Theft Protection. Do I need to fill it out again for McAfee Identity Protection service?
  Yes. For security reasons, you need to fill out your information again in McAfee Identity Protection service. You can take this opportunity to change or update what you would like to monitor.

  NOTE: Assets available for monitoring are limited initially in this early release to:

  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Social Security Number (U.S. only)

• Which devices can I use to access my McAfee Identity Protection service?
  McAfee Identity Protection Service is browser-based. Being browser-based makes it accessible through any connected device with a browser, such as a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Facts about Identity Theft

• What is identity theft?
  You have heard of identity theft, but what does it mean? Identity theft is officially defined as the deliberate assumption of another person’s identity. Going far beyond credit card fraud, identity theft is a rapidly growing crime that most people might face at some point in their lives. In practice, a criminal acquires and uses the victim’s personal information such as a Social Security or driver’s license number for criminal activities. Criminal activities include taking out loans, obtaining new credit cards, renting an apartment, running up debt, filing for bankruptcy. Identity theft does not only damage someone’s creditworthiness, but it can also create unknown criminal records and other issues. For example, the identity theft victim could be wrongly arrested or denied employment after a background check.

• How is identity theft different from financial fraud?
  The term “financial fraud” covers common credit card, check, and debit card fraud. When criminals use your credit cards or debit cards to make a purchase, they usually haven’t assumed your identity. Recovering from financial fraud is relatively easy, because most creditors don’t hold you liable for fraudulent charges.

• What is a breach?
  A data breach is an incident where personally identifiable information (PII), is potentially put at risk because of exposure. PII includes items such as an individual’s name, Social Security number, driver’s license number, medical record, or financial record.

• What personal information is taken when a breach occurs?
  The type of information taken during a breach can vary depending on what information the breached company stored. Perpetrators generally target personal information that can be resold on the dark web. This information includes items such as full name, email address, passwords, Social Security number, and driver’s license number. Other personal information can include medical records and financial information like debit and credit card numbers.

• If personal information is taken in a breach, is it used for identity theft?
  Not necessarily, but consumers should take measures to make sure that their PII is not used maliciously. McAfee Identity Protection enables you to do that.

Dark Web Monitoring

• Where does your Dark Web Monitoring data come from?

• Internet and Dark Web forums
• Websites
• Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels
• Refined Personally Identifiable Information (PII) search engine queries
• Twitter feeds
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) sources
• Hidden and anonymous web services
• Malware samples
• Botnets, torrents, and other sources

• What time range does my initial Dark Web Monitoring report cover?
  Your first Dark Web Monitoring report includes data from the previous 6 years. Dark Web Monitoring searches the prior 6 years of records it has collected for a match to the personal information you are monitoring.

• What does it mean when I receive a notification?
  We track internet activity for signs that the PII we are monitoring is part of a breach, or is being traded or sold online. The notification means that we have found information in the dark web that matches your monitored identity elements.
• What do I do if I receive a notification?
  Follow the guidance on the notification, where we help you to change any compromised passwords. If the initial notification prompt was closed or missed, you can still manually go to the affected website/login and change your password.

• Can I wait to change my password after receiving a breach notification?
  We recommend that you change your password as soon as possible after being notified. Breached logins can be used to discover additional information about your identity, particularly if you have used the same login credentials across several websites.

• What if the notification references only some of the personal info that Dark Web Monitoring is tracking?
  Even if only some of your personal information is found in a breach, we recommended changing as much as possible. It is fair to assume that if some of your information is compromised, everything is at risk.
• Can I still become a victim of identity theft even though I am enrolled in Dark Web Monitoring?
  Dark Web Monitoring helps to reduce your risk of identity theft by letting you know quickly if your personal information is compromised. So, Dark Web Monitoring enables prevention or quick resolution of an identity theft incident.

  In addition to Dark Web Monitoring, you might also have identity-protection coverage and recovery services available. These services help alleviate some of the financial burden of identity theft, and guide you through the often confusing and hard process. Unfortunately, no identity protection tool can prevent identity theft completely.

If you still have questions after viewing these FAQs, contact Customer Support.

Source : Official McAfee Brand
Editor by : BEST Antivirus KBS Team