When 11.1 million Americans become victims of identity theft in a single year, you know it’s time to take protecting your identity more seriously. So, you start your research, and you realize very quickly that researching identity theft protection services is like sipping from a water hydrant.
Don’t get discouraged. We’ve put together comparisons of the most highly rated services in the industry to make your work easier. Generally, identity theft protection strategies are based on a model of comprehensive services, or one of basic credit monitoring. Examples of these models are LifeLock and credit reporting agency Equifax.
LifeLock and Equifax: How they’re similar
- LifeLock and Equifax are Better Business Bureau accredited—LifeLock has been accredited since May 19, 2005, and has an A+ rating; Equifax achieved accreditation December 1, 1952, and has an A+ rating.
- In the past, LifeLock and most other ID theft services were able to contact credit-reporting agencies to request they place fraud alerts for the services’ members. A recent legal interpretation required that all identity theft services discontinue this practice.
LifeLock and Equifax: How they’re different
- LifeLock immediately complied with the judicial ruling that required all ID theft protection services to stop sending fraud alert requests to the credit reporting agencies. Equifax and the other credit reporting agencies are now able to provide that service without competition.
- LifeLock’s service is based on a comprehensive proactive model that protects members’ financial information AND personal information. Equifax’ service is based on reactive credit monitoring alerts that warn consumers after acts of identity theft have taken place and impacted their credit reports. LifeLock takes proactive measures to help prevent identity theft. Equifax doesn’t.
- LifeLock limits the junk mail and pre-approved credit offers you receive—the things identity thieves take from your trash to steal your identity or ruin your credit. Equifax doesn’t.
- LifeLock WalletLock™ protects members when their wallets are lost or stolen. WalletLock Specialists are available 24/7/365 to help cancel and replace driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, checkbooks, credit cards and bankcards, insurance cards—even passports. Equifax doesn’t.
- LifeLock Command Center™ notifies members of any payday loan activity conducted using the members’ name, birth date and/or Social Security number. Equifax doesn’t.
- LifeLock Command Center digs through records from county courts, administrative courts, state departments of correction and other state agencies to compile a list of registered sex offenders living within a member’s zip code. LifeLock checks all these records to be certain members’ addresses aren’t being used for fraudulent sex offender registrations. Then LifeLock sends these lists to their members to heighten their security. Equifax doesn’t.
- LifeLock Personal Breach Detection™ Service monitors unregulated global networks, looking for any fragment of your financial or personally identifying information. LifeLock helps protect you from data leaks that may occur—not just from your own computer—but from other computers that store your information and use peer-to-peer file-sharing software. Equifax doesn’t.
What they charge
- LifeLock charges $10 a month for adults. Use the LifeLock promotion code DEFENSE and pay only $9 a month for adults and receive 30 days free.
- LifeLock charges $2.50 a month for children and students. Use the LifeLock promotion code DEFENSE and pay only $$2.25 a month for children and students and receive 30 days free.
- Enroll in LifeLock Command Center and receive all LifeLock services for $15 a month. Use the LifeLock promotion code DEFENSE and receive a 10% discount.
- Equifax charges $16.95 a month.
Click here now to learn more about LifeLock’s extensive identity theft protection services. Enroll using the LifeLock promo code DEFENSE to receive discounts and 30 days of free services.
