When the PS3 network was hacked last April 21, gamers not only railed at the nearly one month of interrupted gaming time but also the real possibility that they could soon be victims of identity theft. In an effort to address these concerns Sony has sent out emails to its users about its new identity theft protection services.

The email sent out last Wednesday afternoon said that ""Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment have made arrangements with Debix to offer AllClear ID PLUS to eligible PlayStation Network and Qriocity account holders in the United States who are concerned about identity theft."

According to PC Mag Sony entered into a one year agreement with the identity protection service All Clear ID. The agreement gives users access to All Clear ID PLUS premium service which alerts users to potential fraud threat, access to expert fraud investigators and ID insurance protection up to $1 million.

Playstation users can avail of the identity protection service if they have active PlayStation accounts during the time of the hack and they should be residents of the U.S. Qualified users should e-mail Sony's identity theft protection site before June 28. Sony will send users an All Clear ID PLUS activation code once their e-mail is validated.

It is still unclear if the hack on April 21 actually managed to steal credit card information from PS3 network gamers. Some European customers of its MMO games had their debit and credit card information stolen.

While the identity theft protection service is a godsend to concerned users there is a caveat. Users can only use the AllClear services free for a year. Any user who wants to continue with the service will need to pay out of their pocket. Gamers should hope that Sony can offer a more permanent protection for any future hacks.