DIY vs. Paid Identity Protection: What Works After the Conduent Breach

More than 25 million Americans received letters from Conduent Business Services after ransomware operators stole Social Security numbers, medical records, and financial data between October 2024 and January 2025. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called it the largest data breach in U.S. history.

Free tools can block common fraud entry points. Freeze credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN to stop fraudulent tax returns. Check credit reports weekly through AnnualCreditReport.com. Use IdentityTheft.gov for recovery plans. Opt out of prescreened credit offers. Enable two-factor authentication on all financial accounts.

But DIY has limits. The average identity theft victim spends over 200 hours and $1,343 out of pocket. One in five loses more than $100,000. A Senate report estimates $20 billion lost from major data broker breaches over the past decade.

Paid services monitor dark web and data broker sites, submit opt-out requests, and assign case managers to handle fraud resolution. They include identity theft insurance. No service prevents every breach, but they reduce recovery time and workload.

Bottom line: Start with free protections. Add paid services for families, breach victims, or those who lack time for full DIY management. A layered approach works best.