Identity theft is a serious and ever-growing problem that hurt the finances of well over a million U.S. families in the past year. Hackers often target the less tech-savvy, such as the elderly, who can unknowingly give away their private information. Children are also preferred victims since it takes a long time to discover the consequences of any identity theft crime. Usually, it’s only noticed when they get older, with the opening of a bank account or application for a first loan. Luckily, many reliable identity theft services know this and offer dedicated family plans to protect you and your loved ones. With personal information now accessible everywhere and hacking methods getting even more sophisticated, it’s essential to have software that can alert you as well as help you recover from any attack.
Recommended Family Identity Theft Protection Services
LifeLock
LifeLock provides a variety of family plans, each one including a Norton 360 subscription. Its most extensive plan provides access to all features for up to two adults and five kids. These include bank account and credit monitoring, with real-time alerts by email, phone, or text, as well as monthly credit reports from the three main credit bureaus. In the event of an attack, you can instantly freeze your credit. With its special protection for minors, LifeLock will also scan the dark web and file-sharing websites to search for leaked information. LifeLock’s recovery plans reimburse up to $1 million for stolen funds, as well as provide specialist agents to help with recovery. If you wish to try the software, LifeLock offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Identity Guard
With over 20 years of experience, Identity Guard sets itself apart by using IBM Watson’s artificial intelligence. Features include constant scans of bank accounts, cards, and credit scores. It also provides reports from all three credit bureaus and social insight reports about how hackers steal identities. Family plans are also available (for up to eight people) and alert you if your child’s information is detected on any unusual website or dark web hideout. Additionally, this can all be monitored in real-time through the mobile app. If a cybercriminal acquires your information, then the recovery process is immediate. An expert is available 24/7, and there’s an insurance policy that reimburses up to $1 million. For those interested in the service, Identity Guard offers a 30-day free trial.
IdentityForce
Award-winning IdentityForce has forged a solid reputation since its 2005 inception. It offers customizable family plans that allow you to add an unlimited number of children and specialized monitoring programs to prevent child identity theft. IdentityForce has all the necessary features, from credit monitoring with quarterly reports from the three major bureaus, dark web scanning, and a VPN. Its ChildWatch uses a smart Social Security number tracker, with alerts for unfamiliar names, aliases, or addresses associated with your child. And IdentityForce goes even further, with its mobile control of spyware and anti-phishing software for desktop.The recovery plans don’t disappointment either, with a specialist available 24/7 to help with paperwork and calls, and up to $1 million in compensation. If you’re tempted, IdentityForce offers a 30-day free trial.
Does Your Family Need Identity Theft Protection?
Cybercriminals can focus on any age group, but children and senior citizens are usually the most vulnerable. It is estimated that roughly two in every 100 minors in the U.S. have had their data breached, either through medical or school reports, or social media. The majority of reported identity theft cases involve victims over 60 years old, with phishing one of the most common methods. With both age groups, hackers take advantage of a naivety and lack of internet proficiency, so, naturally, you’ll want to keep an eye on your family’s safety.
Oversharing on social media – platforms that are filled with scammers – can be dangerous since practically everyone (including children) has a profile full of personal data and soft privacy settings. Even standard websites ask you to accept their cookies to collect your information, so remember to be selective. On a separate note, using the same password for all your accounts is a big no-no: once a hacker gets ahold of your credentials, they have access to almost everything you own.
Additionally, if you or your family members aren’t in the habit of regularly checking bank and credit transactions, you can often miss fraudulent activity. Although this won’t necessarily prevent identity theft, it can avoid considerable financial damage. Someone in your family being a victim means it could only be a matter of time before hackers get to you too, since you probably share the same last name and address.
What You Can Do To Protect Your Family From Identity Theft
Thankfully, there is a lot you can do to protect yourself and your family from identity theft. For starters, make sure you trust the caregiver of any family member, as they have access to financial and medical records. In fact, be aware that caregiver scams are among the most common elder fraud schemes. Additionally, advising your older relatives on what type of scams to look out for can help since they may not otherwise spot spam emails and phone calls. When it comes to your children, try to limit their internet access and remind them not to overshare personal information on social media and other websites.
As for us adults, you can help by only shopping on trusted websites and using unique passwords that are hard to guess. Collecting your mail daily and checking your bank and credit reports frequently are also obvious ways to keep track of any suspicious activity. Furthermore, not leaving a paper trail is a very good practice: shred any sensitive documents before disposing of them to avoid dumpster diving. However, if you feel that you need further protection, identity theft protection services may be the solution, as they do all the scanning for you and can make your recovery journey much easier.
How Identity Theft Protection Services Work
Identity theft protection services act like guardians of your personal information. Generally, these companies offer three primary services: monitoring, alerts, and recovery plans. Monitoring usually includes credit score checking and monthly or quarterly reports from the three credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). Some services also include dark web monitoring and a Social Security number tracker.
Alerts are a handy tool that notify customers if their personal information has been used, like when new accounts are opened in their name. Many people don’t realize they’re victims of identity theft until their credit is damaged, and that’s why having real-time notifications can be a lifesaver.
Finally, recovery plans are a must-have for customers that fall victim to hackers. Through the companies’ insurance policies, you can get reimbursed – generally up to $1 million – and undo your credit damage with the help of a designated specialist.
How To Choose the Best Identity Theft Protection Service for Your Family
When choosing which identity theft service to sign up for, there are many factors to consider. For starters, if you have a big family with lots of kids, you might want to think about a service plan with unlimited entries for children. If this is the case, IdentityForce will suit you best, and its excellent ChildWatch feature will also come in handy.
If you think your family members may often explore unprotected websites, maybe LifeLock is a good option, as the bonus of the Norton 360 subscription adds an extra layer of protection against malware. Last but not least, for those consumers who want the most top-notch account monitoring, Identity Guard could be a great choice. Its use of IBM Watson’s artificial intelligence can do wonders in going that extra mile to protect your family’s data. Whichever identity theft protection service you do choose, you can rest assured that you’re doing what’s necessary to protect your family.
Best Identity Theft Protection of 2024
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