Use this article if:
- You use the McAfee Identity Theft Protection service (IDTP)
- You want to migrate from McAfee Identity Theft Protection to the newer McAfee Identity Protection Service (IDPS)
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To learn more about our new personal protection apps and services, visit the McAfee Security product page.
McAfee Identity Protection Service supersedes the older McAfee Identity Theft Protection Service. These McAfee offerings have similar names, but the newer Identity Protection Service has many new benefits, including:
- Faster detection and alert times (alerts you of data breaches up to 10 months earlier than IDTP)
- A consistent experience across your PC or Mac, smartphone, or tablet
- Step-by-step guidance to make sure that you take the correct steps when any issues are found
See the IDPS Overview section below for more details about how IDPS protects you and your personal information.
Enrolling with IDPS
To migrate to the new Identity Protection Service, simply enroll with your McAfee account credentials. Your McAfee credentials are the same email and password that you use to sign into My Account on home.mcafee.com. You also would have used the same credentials to sign into the older Identity Theft Protection service.
NOTES:
- IDPS starts scanning for your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on the dark web during enrollment. Personally Identifiable Information is the information that is unique to you, such as your Social Security Number, or email address.
- The PII that was being monitored in the older IDTP is not migrated to IDPS after enrolling.
Currently, we monitor your email addresses and other PII attached to it. Soon, other PII assets will be made available for monitoring. When these assets become available, you can add them, too.
To start enrolling, follow these steps:
- Go to protection.mcafee.com. This link is also on your invitation email.
- Click Get Started.
- Type your McAfee login credentials and sign in.
- Confirm that you are over 16 years of age by clicking the checkbox. After confirming, IDPS starts scanning the dark web for your email address.
- Follow the relevant prompts, depending on whether your email address was found on the dark web.
- Confirm that your supplied email address belongs to you by completing the one-time-password process.
- To complete the setup of IDPS, follow the additional prompts.
IDPS Overview
McAfee Identity Protection Service is a combination of always-on identity monitoring and recovery tools. The Essentials package includes the following:
- Dark Web Monitoring
- Built-in guidance to explain why and what is the best course of action
- Browser extension with integrated identity protection
- Real-time alerts via SMS, email, or both
- Centralized management portal
- 24/7 dedicated specialist support
- Monthly report
| Feature | Basic | Essentials | Plus (U.S. only) |
| Price (annual) | Included with personal protection (Trial, or non-Auto Renewal accounts) | Included with personal protection (Auto Renewal) | Included with MTP Ultimate |
| Dark Web Monitoring | 10 email accounts | 55 pieces of PII | 55 pieces of PII |
| Remediation via integrated Password Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID Protection via Browser integration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Centralized Management via Web Portal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time Alerts – SMS and Email | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monthly Report | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ID Restoration, 24/7/365 Support | Trained McAfee Support Agent | Trained McAfee Support Agent | Limited Power of Attorney Remediation Service |
Password best practices
To minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, always practice good online hygiene. Login credentials are the keys to your accounts, but many users reuse these credentials across websites. Resuing credentials is risky behavior because, when one website is compromised, all are compromised.
So always make sure that you use different credentials on different websites. Also, update your passwords regularly and follow strong complexity guidelines.
For example:
- Use more than 10 characters in your password
- Use a combination of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
- Never use one password in more than one place
- Avoid using words or phrases that you can find in a dictionary