Can Companies Keep You Safe From Identity Theft?
One of the worst experiences someone can ever go through is having their identity stolen. The first problem is financial. The financial repercussions of identity theft on a person’s credit score can be devastating.
Financial institutions may be after a person for years to try to recoup the money during an identity theft issue. There can also be a huge problem with crimes committed by someone using a person’s identity. The second damaging issue is the violation that people feel when they have their identity stolen. If there’s something that people can feel safe in, it’s supposed to be their identity.
Thankfully, there are companies out there working to protect people and their identities. These companies typically offer a subscription service. For a small monthly fee, people can have that feeling of person identity safety restored to their lives.
Identity Theft Protection/Fraud Monitoring
There are now many companies that focus on trying to keep a person’s identity safe. They do this through a series of alerts on a person’s credit. Anytime there is movement on a credit report, it will immediately raise a flag. The flag will then get checked out for validity.
In addition, some companies work to try to restore the victims of previous identity theft attacks. These attacks often have long lasting damaging effects on a person’s credit. Issues with credit reports and false identity problems can sometimes take years to truly resolve.
People who subscribe to these services are able to check in with them in multiple ways. If they have any concerns, they can contact them by phone. Additionally, each will have a web portal or website which allows people to login and check on things.
Who Offers Identity Theft Monitoring?
There are many companies who offer strict identity theft monitoring and help keep your information safe from would be thieves and scammers. Each has their strengths and weaknesses.
- ID Watchdog - ID Watchdog offers up alerts and notifications to prevent future identity theft, but it’s also great for assisting with fixing problems if someone has already been a victim of identity theft. This company assists people in dealing with past identity theft that other companies can’t or won’t handle. There is an additional charge for assisting in removing the false credit problems.
- LifeLock - For people who don’t like to use a laptop or desktop computer, then LifeLock is the best choice for identity theft monitoring. The mobile app is fantastic and if there are issues that arrive from an attempted identity theft, the application will quickly and clearly send notifications. In addition, in the case of any disputes about credit reports, problems can be reported right on the app. LifeLock will run around $30 per month for their standard plan.
- Identityforce - Identityforce offers great protection for people and excels in the ease of use it has compared to its competitor. The dashboard for users is clear and offers a huge amount of information readily and easily. Some identity theft protection companies only use one of the three big credit bureaus. Here, they use all three, and even have additional monitoring related to a person’s name. Anytime anything occurs under your name, you will receive quick alerts. Identityforce is relatively inexpensive. The features available for only $20 per month can’t really be beat. Protection can be set up for kids as well at only $3 per month.
