Protecting your identity on the internet can be a never-ending task. Data protection app Hogo Privacy Defense helps by scanning data brokers and websites for your data and requesting its removal, all from within the app.

Hogo makes a game of the whole process, awarding coins and using animated characters to guide you through its services. Although Hogo might not be for everyone, people who want to see which sites have their personal information and have a little fun while removing it may find the app helpful.

Keep reading this Hogo Privacy Defense review to learn more about Hogo's services, the pros and cons, and how to tell if the app is working for you.

Hogo Privacy Defense review at a glance

Hogo is a free online privacy app developed by ConsumerDirect, Inc. that searches data broker sites for your private information. It compiles a list of sites where your information appeared and can request removal.

While the free Hogo service won't help repair identity theft, it can help you monitor the sites where your information appears and alert you to a potential problem.

Subscribing to the Premium membership for $5.99/mo provides additional features, like up to $1 million in household identity theft insurance, 24/7 white glove fraud resolution assistance, credit monitoring services, and spending alerts.

Those looking to remove their personal information from Google and other major sites may not find Hogo more helpful than other privacy protection services, but Hogo adds a new element through gamification. The app awards coins each time you take action, like requesting your information be removed from a site. Gather up enough coins and you can unlock gift cards and items from the Hogo store.

Hogo pros and cons

What data does Hogo protect?

Hogo alerts you to the type of information it finds on data broker sites, such as:

• Your full name
• Age
• Gender
• Current address
• Past addresses
• Full names of family members
• Phone numbers

Our experience with Hogo Privacy Defense

Signing up for Hogo Privacy Defense is easy and doesn’t take a lot of time. After signing up, the app walks you through the personal information it found and shows you the options to delete it.

Getting started

Visit Hogo’s website and hit the Get Started button. You’ll be directed to a QR code that links to ConsumerDirect Inc, the app developer. Tapping the link takes you to the App Store or Google Play Store, depending on your device, where you can complete the download.

You’ll need to create an account and provide details like:

• Your first and last name
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Current address

As part of the account creation process, Hogo asks you to rate your privacy concerns and select a Hogo Helper. These animated characters will be your guide through the app.

If you sign up for the Premium service, you must also provide the last four digits of your Social Security number and other information to confirm your identity.

According to Hogo’s privacy policy, the app does collect your data. It may share it in certain instances, like to have your information removed from websites and with third parties for marketing purposes.

Dashboard and reports

When you open the Hogo app, you’ll see the main dashboard with tabs for Privacy, ScamAssist, and Fraud Insurance at the top.

Tapping on each website under the Privacy tab shows you the personal information found there. Swiping left tells Hogo to request removal of your data.

The app scans for new information every 14 days and new results appear on the Privacy tab. If you ask Hogo to remove your information, the broker site appears at the bottom of the list and shows as pending or removed.

Hogo says it can take up to 45 days to get a response from a data broker. Some data brokers email to confirm your information was removed from their website.

ScamAssist helps you identify potential scams through email, text, social media, phone, or via the U.S. mail. A Hogo Premium subscription helps you resolve any damage through a partnership with Iris Generali if you find yourself targeted by scammers or hackers.

Credit monitoring

If you subscribe to Hogo’s Premium services, you can see your credit score, reports, and money summaries between the Privacy and Rewards tabs at the bottom of the app.

Our testing didn’t include the Premium features, but they may be helpful if you’re looking to delete your data from the internet while keeping an eye on your financial accounts for signs of identity theft.

The Scores tab provides your current credit score and monitors changes over time. It also includes the Builder section, which offers ways to increase your credit by disputing negative items on their reports. Hogo also features a custom credit builder called Boost, which can help you raise your score over time.

Identity theft protection monitoring

Although Hogo doesn’t have specific identity theft monitoring among its services, the Reports tab on the dashboard summarizes each type of credit account you have, including auto, mortgage, credit cards, and bills that may have gone to collections. You can also see if any public records are in your name or if there have been any recent credit inquiries you don’t recognize.

The Money tab comes with the Premium subscription and lets you see accounts with linked financial institutions, a summary of your assets and debt, and you can set up alerts for unusual activity.

While Hogo isn’t a personal finance app, seeing changes to your credit score or bank accounts, as well as public inquiries or negative items appearing on your credit report can help you catch identity thieves before they cause too much damage.

Identity restoration services

Hogo’s restoration services are only for Premium subscribers and include the following:

Hogo Privacy Defense fraud resolution services

Identity theft insurance

Free Hogo account holders receive only up to $25,000 in coverage for themselves (not family members). The policy includes a $0 deductible and assistance with lost wages, attorney fees due to ID fraud, and recovery expenses associated with a stolen ID, passport, or driver’s license, up to the policy limit.

Premium members unlock $1 million in coverage and can use the funds across their household. In addition to covering the expenses listed under the free account, Premium identity theft protection also covers childcare costs related to dealing with a stolen identity.

Hogo coins

Every time you take action in the Hogo app, you’re rewarded with Hogo coins, an in-app currency that can be redeemed for rewards.

Some of the actions that earn you coins include:

• Requesting the app remove your information from a website = 25 coins
• Activating fraud insurance = 150 coins
• Sharing Hogo on social media = 200 coins
• Leaving a review in the App Store = 500 coins
• A daily login bonus = 10 coins

Once you’ve accumulated enough coins, you can redeem them for various rewards like a Hogo plushie toy for 15,000 coins, a $5 or $10 gift card to retailers like Amazon, Starbucks, or Target for 5,000 or 10,000 Hogo coins, respectively.

How do you know if Hogo Privacy Defense works?

Knowing if Hogo or any data privacy app is getting results can be confusing. In Hogo’s case, the app provides a list of the sites you’ve requested to have your information removed from and the current status of each request.

Hogo shows requests as Removed once your information is deleted from a site. However, it can take up to 45 days, and you may be required to provide additional personal information to confirm your identity.

It’s also important to note that removing your information from the data broker's website doesn’t mean it was deleted from the original site where the data broker obtained your information, and it doesn’t stop your information from appearing on the data broker's site again.

To confirm your information is removed, manually check well-known data broker sites like WhitePages or LexisNexis for your data.

Read our guides to learn more about how to opt out of WhitePages listings or how to remove your data from LexisNexis to help prevent identity theft.

Does Hogo Privacy Defense keep your data safe?

Hogo uses standard encryption (AES-256), but doesn’t require two-factor or multi-factor authentication. And while Hogo is a privacy-focused app, it collects personal data about you and your financial accounts.

Some of that is standard since the app needs your personal information to request data removal from broker sites. However, Hogo’s privacy policy states that it may share customer data with third parties and affiliates for marketing purposes.

Some of the information collected includes:

• Personal information such as name, address, email, and telephone number
• Financial information like bank and credit card account numbers, balances, payment history, and actions you take regarding your accounts
• Information specifically about you but that does not identify you personally
• Information you provide by filling in a form or interacting with the Hogo app

Hogo also collects automatic data such as:

• Usage details
• Device information
• Stored information and files, including metadata
• Location tracking
• Behavioral tracking
• Cookies
• Web beacons

Companies collecting personal data can make you more vulnerable to identity theft. If you sign up with Hogo, adjust the privacy settings and opt out of any services you aren’t comfortable with.

Hogo customer support

Hogo’s customer support is available through the app under the settings icon. You can contact customer support by emailing support@hogo.com, but no phone number is provided.

The Hogo website also provides a blog that discusses information about data brokers, data privacy and breaches, identity thefts, scams, and VPNs, among other topics.

Hogo Privacy Defense prices and subscriptions

As mentioned above, Hogo offers two subscription options, either Free or Premium. While the Free service alerts you to potential issues, the Premium service allows you to take action and monitor your credit.

While some apps, like Aura identity theft protection, offer more features, they’re usually more expensive. Hogo Premium service’s monthly cost is lower than some of its competitors, and it provides helpful services if your identity is stolen.

Hogo Privacy Defense plans comparison

Hogo alternatives

If Hogo’s animations and gamification don’t sound like the right choice for you, there are other identity theft protection services to consider. Although other sites may be more expensive, you may find the additional features, monitoring, or removal services worth it, depending on your concerns.

• Aura: Aura provides online device security for up to five adults and unlimited children, depending on your chosen plan. An individual plan costs $12.00/mo, billed annually. More expensive plans provide additional features, and Aura offers a free 14-day trial before you commit.
  
  Get Aura | Read Our Aura Review

• IdentityForce: IdentityForce by the credit bureau TransUnion offers individual membership for $17.95/mo or family plans for $20.90/mo. Services include bank and credit card alerts, dark web monitoring, and credit reports, among other features.
  
  Get IdentityForce | Read Our IdentityForce Review

Hogo Privacy Defense FAQs

Bottom line: Is Hogo Privacy Defense good?

Using Hogo makes protecting your private data a little more fun. Although you may find more features with a different identity theft protection service, finding the same features for only $5.99/mo might be a challenge. The game-like atmosphere and chance for rewards may win you over if you’re reluctant to sign up for a more formal option.

If you need additional features, consider checking out the best identity theft protection services to ensure your data is as protected as possible on the internet.

4.0

Learn More

On Hogo Privacy Defense's website

---

Hogo Privacy Defense

• Free for basic features
• Up to $25,000 in fraud insurance
• Relatively basic features compared to other services

Author Details

Kate Daugherty

About the Author

Kate Daugherty is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colorado. She specializes in personal finance, digital security, and personal privacy.