October 23, 2016

Do You Really Need Identity Theft Protection?

What is your identity?  It's your name, your birthdate, your social security #, your credit card numbers, and your life.  And with this info

rmation an identity thief can go on a shopping spree and rack up all kinds of debt in YOUR name.  An identity protection service can guard these details of your life and proactively stop any threats before they become a financial disaster.  But not all identity protection companies are the same and you should read reviews about each one before you buy.  Look at the

bottom of this page to see which one we recommend.

 

Is Your Identity Safe from These Threats?

Bank account identity theft -- medical identity theft -- tax refund fraud -- social security # theft -- child identity theft -- social network identity theft -- credit card fraud --  employment identity theft  -- email scams -- WiFi hacking -- computer virus threats --  password hacking …. And that’s just the start.

Without the right identity theft protection service these threats can easily become a reality.  An identity thief can go on a shopping spree with a credit card account you never authorized, and it could take months before you find out about it.

 

So how bad IS identity theft right now? 

Identity theft is only getting worse as criminals use modern technology to hack into our personal lives.  Gamblers must also be careful while choosing casino sites. Find the most reliable and safe sites for gambling. Visit https://neueonlinecasinos.io/ to find the latest online casino sites. These modern conveniences have made it easier for them to steal identities and remain anonymous.

Identity Theft Statistics

  • According to the FTC identity theft is the #1 complaint of consumers.
  • Identity theft costs victims over $5,000 on average.
  • It can take almost 6,000 hours to correct the damages of identity theft(ITRC Aftermath Study, 2004).
  • More than 15 million identities are compromised by identity theft every year, costing consumers  over $50 BILLION dollars.
  • 50% of all reported identity theft crimes are related to credit card and bank account fraud.

 

But here it the statistic that should scare you:  85% of identity theft victims don’t find out that their identity has been stolen until after they are denied credit, employment, or some other financial service.

 

Tips for Protecting Your Identity on Your Own

  •       Get anti-virus and anti-malware protection on your computer. (Avast, Advance System Care)
  •       Avoid putting any personal data on your social network profiles and change your security settings.
  •       Use a locking mailbox and cross-cut paper shredder to protect your “paper trail”.
  •       Avoid carrying your ss# card and other personal documents in your wallet or purse.
  •       Get free fraud alerts and get your c redit report throughout the year

 

Can You Really Fight Identity Theft on Your Own?

Let’s face it.  We live busy lives.  But even if we could check our credit report 3 times a year, check our credit scores, shred our credit card offers, and avoid ever email phishing scheme, there are still areas of our lives left unprotected.

Modern technology has made it easier for identity thieves to hack into our lives, and so it takes more of that technology to combat these security threats.  An identity theft protection service can protect you 24/7 and scan the entire internet for security threats and loopholes, while doing things that you simply cannot do yourself.  And the sooner you can catch a thief using your identity the better your money is protected.

 

Comparison Chart for Identity Theft Services

What to Look for in a Good Identity Theft Protection Service?

37% of ID theft victims had their Social Security number stolen (Javelin Strategy and Research, 2009).  Keeping this number from falling into the wrong hands is a huge role of an id protection service.

One of the biggest advantages to an identity theft protection service is lost wallet protection because 28% of all id theft victims had their identities stolen because of lost or stolen wallets.  But here are some other advantages to using an identity protection company:

  • -          Lost wallet protection
  • -          3 credit bureau monitoring
  • -          Automatic credit report scheduling (24/7 access)
  • -          DDA monitoring of checking and savings accounts
  • -          Automatic alerts of changes to credit card and bank account contact changes
  • -          Public record surveillance including court records and medical records
  • -          Monitoring of known criminal websites for illegal trading of personal information
  • -          Social Security # and Address Monitoring
  • -          365 24/7 live phone support

 

The Top 3 Identity Theft Protection Companies

lifelock

We recommend Lifelock as the #1 company for identity theft protection.  Lifelock is not the same company they were 2 years ago.  With Lifelock Ultimate you are getting the MOST advanced and most comprehensive identity theft service available with a $1 million dollar warranty in case your identity does get stolen.  You get all of the above services along with many more, and this is the ONLY service that offers bank account monitoringRead our thorough Lifelock review here or buy Lifelock with our 10% discount code here.


identity guardIdentity Guard offers a wide variety of tools for guarding your identity and they offer some nice anti-virus and anti-malware programs as well.  They recently started offering a child identity service called kID sure and it costs an extra $5 per month.  They are our #2 rated company because they do not offer bank account monitoring like Lifelock but they do provide advanced ID monitoring that has won a few wards.  You can check out Identity Guard here to try it for 30 days free.


trusted idTrusted ID offers the best protection at the best price for families with a lot of children.   With Lifelock and Identity Guard you have to pay extra for adding children onto your plan.  For $27.99 per month you can get protection for your entire family, and if you have 3 or more children, this can offer the best protection for the money.  Trusted ID also offers anti-spyware protection, fraud alerts, and an identity threat score.  It’s ranked 3rd in our analysis, but this is still a top notch company.

Visit Trusted ID’s website here

 

Lifelock 10% Discount Coupon Promotion Code

Don’t sign up for Lifelock without using our 10% off discount link here.  This will save you $27.50 per year, essentially giving you more than a free month.  We have been able to work with Lifelock to ensure this discount is available to our readers.  (Disclosure Agreement)

Save 10% off Lifelock for Life using this link.