# Protect Yourself from Identity Theft & Online Fraud

> Canonical HTML: https://www.vpnhive.com/protect-identity-theft-online-fraud/

Published: 2014-01-23.

Protect your main email and financial accounts first. A VPN does not stop a phishing site from collecting a password you give it.

## What you will accomplish

Make important accounts harder to take over and know what to do if something looks wrong.

## Do it now

1.  ### Strengthen sign-in
    
    Use unique passwords stored in a reputable password manager, or supported passkeys. Enable MFA and keep recovery methods current. Change a compromised or reused password; do not rely on a fixed six-month rotation rule.
    
    **Check:** Each important account has a distinct credential and a recovery option you control.
    
2.  ### Verify requests independently
    
    For a payment or urgent account warning, open the official app or a saved bookmark. Do not use the message's login link or share one-time codes with an unexpected caller.
    
    **Check:** The request is confirmed through a trusted route.
    
3.  ### Respond to suspicious activity
    
    Review account sessions and alerts. Revoke unknown sessions where supported and contact the bank or service through its official channel if you see unauthorized activity.
    
    **Check:** The service has your report and you know the next recovery step.
    

## Check the result

The service has your report and you know the next recovery step. Change one thing at a time so you know what made the difference.

## If something does not work

Do not enter passwords, recovery codes, identity documents or card details into a privacy-check website. For suspected fraud, use your bank's official reporting process and appropriate local authorities.

[Open the Browser Privacy Setup Guide](https://www.vpnhive.com/tools/browser-privacy/) for device-specific steps, completion checks and undo instructions.

Background and further explanation

## Passwords and recovery

Unique credentials reduce the damage when one service is breached. Password managers can make long, distinct passwords practical; passkeys can offer phishing-resistant sign-in where supported. Protect the password manager and recovery methods too. Routine forced password changes are not a substitute for changing compromised credentials or enabling appropriate MFA.

Securely stored recovery codes can help when a device is lost. Do not share them or keep the only copy on the device you would need to recover. For the authentication guidance behind this advice, see [NIST's authentication and authenticator-management guidance](https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-4/sp800-63b.html).