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Buying Guide: I Tested the Top Scam Protection Tools. These Are the Ones That Actually Work
How Scam Protection Tools Actually Keep You Safe
Here’s a look at some of the most common features found in scam protection plans. You'll find many of these options bundled with security suites, so if you're already a subscriber, check your plan to see if scam protection is included. I’ve highlighted services that offer unique features, such as personal data monitoring or blocking incoming remote connections to your computer or other devices.
Account Monitoring: Track Financial Activity and Catch Identity Fraud Early
A common feature of scam protection services is financial account monitoring, which keeps you on top of all of your banking and investment accounts, so you’ll know when someone opens new accounts in your name. Some services, like NordProtect, also monitor real-time arrest and booking data from jails across the United States. If someone is arrested and gives your name or other identifying information, you’ll get an alert so you can clear your name.
Ad Blocking: Stop Malicious Ads Before They Can Hook You
Many scammers ensnare victims through maladvertising, such as ads for fake apps or dating sites on legitimate platforms like local TV news websites. If you click on one of these ads, either accidentally or on purpose, it will trigger a pop-up notification asking you to allow notifications or download an app. Clicking one of these notifications or allowing the download could infect your device with adware or malware.
You can’t accidentally click on an ad that isn’t there, which is why many of the scam protection suites included in this list contain a browser extension with ad-blocking capabilities. If you want to learn how to block ads for free, read our list of the best ad blockers.
AI-Powered Scam Detection: Use AI to Spot Scams in Real Time
(Credit: Bitdefender/PCMag)One of the best things you can do to stop a scam in progress is to seek a second opinion about the situation from someone you trust. Some services provide AI-powered scam detection assistance in the form of chatbots trained to analyze your messages, links, images, or descriptions of a situation, and tell you whether or not you’re being scammed. Bitdefender’s Scamio is a free, scam-detection chatbot you don’t need to download or install, which is ideal.
There are also AI tools that scan your emails, messages, video messages, voicemails, and website text as you browse, and will send alerts about fraud patterns or scam-related messaging. This scam protection is available in a few of the Norton 360 protection plans and in McAfee’s Scam Detector.
(Credit: Bitdefender/PCMag)Dark Web Report Alerts: Know When Your Data Hits the Dark Web
If one of your online accounts is caught up in a data breach at a company, you’ll want to keep an eye out for dark web reports from your scam protection provider. Dark web report scanning is also a common feature found in password managers. These reports show whether your personal information, like login credentials, emails, passwords, credit card numbers, bank account information, social security numbers, or any other highly private information, is available on the dark web. Most scam protection providers will send you an alert if your data shows up in a dark web report.
Remote Connection Blocking: Stop Scammers From Taking Over Your Device
One of the most powerful tools on this list is Seraph Secure, which blocks scammers from using software to remotely connect to your computer, even if you grant them permission to do so. This keeps tech support scammers from tricking you into giving them access to your devices. Seraph Secure runs in the background on your devices and blocks phishing links, malicious advertisements, and access to known scam websites.
(Credit: Seraph Secure/PCMag)Removal from Data Broker Websites: Erase Your Personal Info From Broker Sites
Scammers are able to call you, send emails, and flood your phone with texts because your information is readily available on the public web on data broker websites. These sites are “people search” platforms like Whitepages or Spokeo. These sites usually provide information such as your name, current and past home addresses, phone numbers, and family connections, often for free. They’re a gold mine for advertisers and scammers alike, and they may be the source of a lot of scam and spam calls and texts.
We review personal data removal services; you can read those reviews for more information about how the apps work. Many scam protection services on this list offer data removal tools in partnership with a well-known brand, such as Incogni.
Remember, if you don’t want to pay for a personal data removal service, you can always request profile removals from people finder sites on your own; it just takes time. Anecdotally, it took me less than 5 minutes to remove my profile from a popular people-finder website, and now, several months later, I receive far fewer spam calls and texts.
What Happens After a Scam: Recovery Tools That Help
Scam Protection companies usually offer services to help you recover your identity, mental health, or money after being scammed. We have a list of the best identity theft protection services you can peruse, and you’ll find the services below in scam protection suites.
Credit Protection: Lock Down Your Credit to Prevent New Fraud
Many of the services on this list will help you freeze and unfreeze your credit with ease. It’s a helpful feature, but you can do it pretty easily for free. Credit freezes do not affect your credit score and prevent strangers from accessing your credit reports or opening new lines of credit. Unfreeze your credit when you need to make a major purchase, such as a car or a house.
Scam Recovery Insurance: Get Financial Backup After a Scam
Many of the services on this list include cyberattack, cyber extortion, identity theft, or online fraud insurance plans that help cover the costs of ransom payments, legal assistance, and negotiation fees. You can also buy identity theft recovery insurance to help you recoup some of your losses while replacing documents or paying legal fees. I recommend checking with your current insurance providers first, as you may already receive some of the benefits covered under these scam protection plans.
VPN Access: You Don't Need It, But It Can't Hurt
Do you really need to use a VPN to prevent online scams? No, I don’t think so, but it’s one of those tools that’s nice to have. A VPN creates a private, separate tunnel for your online activity, keeping your browsing data from advertisers and your ISP, which is helpful. In the past, we told readers to use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi, but web browsing traffic is now encrypted, making a VPN less useful. A VPN won’t keep you from clicking on malware-laden links, downloading fake apps, or accepting browser notifications from malicious websites, so unless you have a specific need for a VPN, I’d skip the download and save a little money.