Best identity theft protection and credit monitoring services for 2021, A Detailed List of the Best Identity Theft Protection Services according to theft-protection-experts.com latest report.
The cyber-word is expanding and evolving at an unprecedented rate. With more precise and rigid measures against cyber-crime, the miscreants have also adapted to the ever-shifting paradigm. A person’s identity is not determined by only their physical existence or interactions anymore. It is heavily informed by their digital imprints and binary information. Identity theft refers to an impostor using someone else’s confidential and identifying credentials, such as the SSN, credit card information, or internet persona with criminal intentions of gaining either financial exploits or a fake identity. The experts at the identity theft-protection-experts.com website have researched and paid a great deal of attention to the ever-expanding problem of id theft and identity theft protection. They analyze, evaluate, and rank the best identity theft protection services that the industry leaders have to offer.
The number of people committing online and identity theft is increasing at an unnerving rate. Malicious actors have a perpetual mission of finding prospects they can infringe upon. With ample personal data, hackers and thieves can essentially take possession of the victim’s essence. Although it may seem like a grave infringement and identity breach, everyone is exposed to these attacks, irrespective of the time and victim’s whereabouts. Therefore, it is wise and pragmatic to find a theft protection service that one can rely on. For many, the question of how to protect yourself from identity theft is rattling and overwhelming.
Identity thieves can wreak a series of troubles like disingenuous purchases under the victim’s credentials, commit credit card frauds, or impersonating the victim during police affairs. Not only that, but when someone’s identity is breached upon, the thief can actually appropriate the victim’s social media presence, make alterations in the billing address, replicate credit and debit cards, and even misappropriate the victim’s selfhood.
To fend off such deceitful and dangerous attacks on one’s identity, it becomes necessary for one to discover identity theft protection services that can resolve these dire issues. Thankfully, several companies offer some of the best identity theft protection with all-around defense and safety firewalls against criminal onslaughts.
Some insurers and identity theft protection services already come with some heavily discounted or free identity theft protection services. Banks, credit card issuers, credit unions, and organizations such as AARP provide very cheap or even free identity theft protection.
The elaborate, objective, and exhaustive lists at theft-protection-experts.com shed light on several identity theft protection systems and solutions.
Theft Protection Experts has listed IdenityIQ and Identity Guard as the identity theft protection services for 2021:
IdentityIQ
Among the foremost names in ID theft protection services, IdentityIQ has made the top spot in the lists of theft-protection-experts.com. The website has listed IdentityIQ as the best identity theft protection. IdentityIQ is known for its exceptional tracking systems. Based in the US, the identity theft protection company was established in 2009. Its services are exclusive to US customers. It is one of many companies under the big IDIQ. It has been around for approximately 25 years with an ever-increasing user base. Whenever a dubious activity transpires, the services promptly warn the subscriber.
An individual can avail of a roster of theft protection services.
IdentityIQ specializes in the US-based credit system and many of its customer services and case managers are also located in the country itself. This improves the customer experience even further. It goes an extra mile when it comes to SSN tracing. As per the claims made by its website, it runs advanced SSN checks. IdentityIQ persistently charts at the top of best identity theft protection consumer reports.
Thieves can steal the identity of their victims in many ways. One of the ways is to inflict legal damage by committing crimes under their names. The victim’s name can make the top most-wanted lists in other countries without them having a single clue about it. IdentityIQ confronts this issue through scouring of not only national but international crime databases as well, making it one of the flagship ID theft protection services offered by the company. If any incriminating data coincides with that of the victim’s name or credentials, IdentityIQ informs the victim right away. The similar services offered by other companies do not follow the same exhaustive methods of searching and tallying.
IdentityIQ checks and alerts every time the Social Security Number is used by anyone. It does not do so only when the SSN is used with an incorrect address or name. IdentityIQ also performs enhanced change of address notifications. They also monitor the registry for National Change of Address and alert accordingly.
With up to $1 million in identity theft insurance for all its plans, IdentityIQ covers stolen funds and miscellaneous expenses. It provides excellent customer support and to help with the restoration and recovery of the identity, there is a case manager based in the US to help in the process.
The California-based company offers four ID theft protection plans. They are:
The most economical, Secure Plan comes at a rate of $6.99 per month. The plan consists of daily scanning of credit, synthetic ID theft protection, SSN alerts, lost wallet assist, compensation for personal expenses, and US-based team support in cases of identity reinstatement.
IdentityIQ users going with the Secure Plus plan for $9.99 a month, enjoy all the features under the above-mentioned plan, with notifications for changes in address, annual three-bureau credit reports, mid-level identity monitoring, and one-bureau credit card monitoring.
The Secure Pro plan costs about $19.99 a month. It packs all the features given by its predecessor, with additional elaborate monitoring, credit score change alerts, and quarterly credit reports.
The premium plan, Secure Max costs $29.99 per month. With extra perks, all the aforementioned features are environed by this plan. All IdentityIQ plans, from the basic Secure Plan to the premium Secure Max, provide $1 million in identity theft insurance and access to a U.S.-based customer service team in case of identity theft. IdentityIQ provides a top-notch identity restoration service.
- IdentityIQ provides customer support and US-based identity restoration teams.
- It offers over-all credit and identity monitoring services.
- All of its identity theft protection plans come with $1,000,000 in insurance.
- Another benefit of choosing IdentityIQ is the free coverage for children under 24 years old without an additional fee.
- It has continually ranked high in the best identity theft protection consumer reports.
Skeptical changes to the user’s credit reports indicate that their information has been endangered. It is critical to go through the periodic credit reports and with select identity theft protection plans from IdentityIQ, the user can observe and diagnose irregularities in the credit accounts. The thieves also lurk in the dark web – the part of the internet that is only accessible through special browsers. Users can rest assured against data compromise on the dark web with IdentityIQ identity theft protection plans.
IdentityIQ provides well-rounded identity theft protection plans with identity theft coverage, free family protection at reasonable pricing, identity restoration service with limited power of attorney, and a credit score simulator.
Compared to its peers, users can expect cheaper prices from IdentityIQ. Secure Plan is the lowest priced among all the identity theft protection services. The plans lying in the center of the spectrum are also economical. A user opting for the minimum priced plan will have to spend $6.99 each month while a $29.99 each month for the highest-priced thorough plan.
Accounting for the least price is the Secure Plan, costing the users about $6.99. With basic identity theft protection features to boot, an individual can avail credit report monitoring and browse the dark web free and easy. Next up on the roster is the Secure Plus Plan with a monthly rate of $9.99. It adds a little to the list of features given by the previous plan with no significant advanced features. Secure Max builds upon the list of salient features given by its predecessor, offering a set of special ones, especially if someone wants to add family members to the plan for free.
Individual users look for a plan that is enough for their limited requirements, as opposed to the diverse and large set of requirements of a family plan. For cases like these, the user can opt for the Secure Pro plan that best complements the corresponding needs. Users can avail of quarterly reports under the plan. Apart from these, IdentityIQ has one more plan on its shelves. It is the blanket plan that the user has to spend a bit more bucks for. The add-on offers and features, however, make up for the added expense.
In a widespread virtual world, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become an integral part of one’s identity. IdentityIQ lacks an extensive AI-backed and guided facility. On the other hand, the case with Identity Guard is quite the contrary. Online social presence stands at risk with the former but with the latter, it remains guarded allowing the user to navigate the web freely.
Looking at the same category plans, IdentityIQ beats Identity Guard for economic rates. It charges no extra money to accommodate another member of the family, whereas the latter charges more expensive prices.
To get started with the service, the first step to shield one’s identity with IdentityIQ is to browse through various plans and decide on one that befits the requirements. Before the user can go ahead and start experiencing the service, they need to follow up the browsing and selection with creating an online account by signing up. It is then followed up with sharing the information and other relevant details like name, contact number, email id, etc. Filling up the bank transaction details confirms and saves the payment details. The account can be secured using a personalized password solely for security concerns.
Amidst a myriad of services that claim to give the utmost protection from external sources, IdentityIQ has been observed to stay true to all its claims. In addition to being prone to external sources, people are also rendered financially incapacitated to pay for any kind of expenses. In a situation like that, it is incumbent on the identity theft protection services to make up for the lack of funds. The aforementioned reasons plus comparatively cheaper plans are why the company is considered the overall best identity theft protection service. Ultimate rating – 4.6 out of 5.
Identity Guard
Founded in 1996, Identity Guard is notable for its use of artificially intelligent services. It uses AI for advanced ID theft protection and monitoring services. Identity Guard is regarded as the best overall option out of all identity theft protection services. It makes use of unmatched computing power provided by IBM’s Watson computing system. The scope of its AI-boosted identity theft protection and monitoring is vast and it wastes almost no time in responding to any irregularities or suspicious activities regarding ID theft.
The thieves leave no stone unturned when attacking an individual through hi-tech malicious programs. To combat the speedy and sudden incursions of privacy and identity, the user needs to be well equipped with technologically modern protection systems. Cutting-edge computing capabilities like that of the IBM Watson™ can diagnose the dubious developments at the onset and allow an ample amount of time for the user to react to the onslaughts swiftly and preserve their identity.
Many consumers are not even aware of when and how they got cheated on. The sad news for them arrives whenever the creditor calls in or at the time of credit card declination. Although checking up on regular reports is a good measure and practice, the user can never one-up an automated service fueled by a supercomputer.
If one goes by the Better Business Bureau ratings or expert advice of programmers, the contracted latency with which IBM Watson™ cautions the users of dubious activities is unparalleled. Say, if a user were to get warned of a potential attack, it will take the user a bit to catch up and prep-up for defense. It is pretty difficult to do that using any other service but with Identity Guard, they have a significant bracket of time to take corresponding measures like closing their accounts.
The catalog of utilities proffered by Identity Guard is long. Some conspicuous assets of the service are the minute reaction time while alerting the user, sustained inspection of the dark net, and social media assistance. Users enrolled in the Identity Guard services can avail TransUnion report every month and a yearly report for all three major companies. Users must nurture a habit of perusing all these reports carefully without skipping a turn.
The importance of confidentiality during bank transactions and activities is not lost on anyone. And yet, many users sadly become a target to phishing attacks, leading to their bank-related details getting compromised. To rectify this issue, Identity Guard spares no time to alert the users whenever bank details get changed.
In this age of social platforms, it is imperative to recognize the importance of application and scope of privacy and security. The user’s id is kept intact and immune to any lurking theft-related dangers.
Identity Guard also aids consumers in times of peril caused by theft. It does so by covering up to $1 million in insurance. Identity Guard also has certain designated managers who deliver remarkable support to the user every step of the way. These pre-eminent qualities have resulted in Identity Guard topping the best identity theft protection consumer reports.
Watson’s supercomputing capabilities allow it to scan the internet constantly and warn the customers of any phishing emails, articles, or social media posts. It also performs Dark Web scanning and helps the customer when they are surfing the net or engaging in transactional activity. Identity Guard also has a mobile app that is phishing-resistant. The IBM Watson™ presents a mixture of Artificial Intelligence and complex software to analyze and answer problems. Its ability to replicate cognition makes it a sure-fire solution for protection against identity theft. It can map up the cyberspaces in incredibly tiny amounts of time and does so in an expeditious manner.
The users can go for any of the three plans exclusive to Identity Guard – Value plan, Total plan, and Ultra plan. Each plan has its salient features to boast and caters to the needs of its target audience. It is always recommended to walk through customer reviews and experiences and take references before locking in a plan for themselves. Getting a good idea about the unique selling proposition of each plan will clear up all doubts and help in making the final decision. Knowing the advantages of different plans and how they will satisfy the users’ needs is the wisest thing to do before going ahead with enrolling in the services.
The individual users are very distinct from families using the services. Their needs and wants differ drastically from family users. There are complementary plans for each user type. If the user is an individual, they will require a basic plan that can easily contend with all their demands while being within the budget. Conversely, a family plan accounts for the parents, kids, and other members with all their distinctive needs and identities.
For an unrivaled hi-tech system and its services, the user will feel comfortable paying the corresponding prices. Despite being more expensive than its competition, Identity Guard more than justifies its rates. The plans will cost around anywhere from $7.50 to $33.33 every month. There is a wide array of plans and costs to choose from, each catering to a specific category amid a distinguished and diverse population.
Identity Guard
- Its robust AI-driven protection system makes it one of the best identity theft protection services out there.
- Identity Guard provides up to $1million to cover identity theft.
- Its customer service has been given an A+ rating by the BBB.
Whereas Identity Guard can scan social media posts, IdentityIQ has no such offers. Customers can also enjoy secure online transactions. Identity Guard gives reports annually while IdentityIQ does it every three months. IdentityIQ charges no fee for family subscriptions whereas, in Identity Guard, the customer has to pay an extra cost per month to include family members.
- To get started with the service, the Initial steps are all about weighing different plans and their attributes and then pin-pointing one that fits the bill according to the user’s prerequisite.
- The next step is concerned with creating an account on the website. All the required details must be filled in.
- Identity Guard requires relevant details and specifics to start their services.
Identity Guard lands a 4.0 rating and a tie for overall performance in best identity theft protection. Its USP lies in distinguished qualities like Artificial Intelligence-driven security and safekeeping, capabilities of social media monitoring, and minimal latency.