Identity Guard
Posted: October 26, 2011 | Last Updated: November 10, 2011
| Free Scores | All 3 Scores |
| Trial Info | 30 day free trial |
| Price After Trial | $17.99/mo |
| Credit Reports Monitored | Equifax, Experian & TransUnion |
| ID Theft Coverage | $1,000,000 |
Key Features
- All 3 Free Credit Scores
- Daily Credit Monitoring and Alerts
- Top Notch Identity Theft Protection
- $1 million ID theft insurance
- Public Record Monitoring
- 30 day free trial, $17.99/mo thereafter
Pros: Best value, all 3 credit scores, quarterly credit score updates, top notch ID theft protection.
Cons: Scores provided are not FICO, however, they are a very good approximation.
IDENTITY GUARD® is our overall top pick. We believe it’s the most comprehensive credit monitoring & identity theft protection service currently available. At sign up you will get all 3 of your credit scores, and your 3 bureau credit monitoring, along with your 30 day free trial. But that alone is not what makes it a winner in our book. In addition to daily credit monitoring and alerts, IDENTITY GUARD® Total Protection also provides top notch identity prevention and detection services such as public record monitoring, internet black market monitoring for signs of fraud, lost wallet protection, and more.
Free Credit Scores and Free Trial
At sign-up, you will get all 3 free credit scores (one score for each major credit bureau) with your 30 day trial membership. You can try the service for a full 30 days, and if you decide it’s not for you, you may cancel any time during your trial, and pay nothing. Just be sure to check out all the features before you cancel, we believe it’s the best overall service currently available, especially for identity theft protection.
Standout Feature – Identity Theft Protection
This is where Identity Guard really shines. Yes it’s true that they give you all 3 of your credit scores, and daily 3-bureau credit report monitoring like many other competing services, but what really makes this service valuable is the ID theft protection benefits and services they provide, these additional services clearly propel them to the top of the pack.
The identity theft protection features of this service are unmatched by the competition. That is why this product is our overall favorite, it’s the best value and the most information you can get. In addition to offering all 3 free credit scores and 3-bureau credit report monitoring, Identity Guard also offers best-in-class identity theft protection services, all at a very competitive price. If you’re at all concerned about taking additional measures to protect your identity, this is definitely one to consider.
Here’s a short list of some of the most valuable ID theft protection/prevention services:
- Daily 3-bureau credit monitoring, for signs of ID theft
- $1,000,000 Identity theft insurance coverage, if you do become a victim
- Monitoring of internet black markets, for signs of credit card fraud
- Lost wallet protection – helps protect your credit accounts, and provides a cash advance if needed
- Free anti-key logging software – further protects your personal info
- Free access to Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite ($100 value)
- Free public record monitoring
Credit Monitoring and Alerts
Like many of it’s competitors, Identity Guard will monitor all 3 credit reports on a daily basis, for key changes, and alert you of them immediately by e-mail. As always, this is an important service to have in protecting yourself from identity theft, but this is just the beginning for Identity Guard. As mentioned above, there’s a full suite of features to help you protect your identity.
Identity Theft Resolution and Coverage
As a member of Identity Guard, you are entitled to $1,000,000 ID theft insurance coverage, if you fall victim to identity theft while enrolled in this service. They also provide what they call “Lost Wallet Protection”. Essentially what they will do is if you lose your wallet, they will help you out by notifying your credit card companies about the situation (which will help protect you from fraudulent charges), and they will also provide you with a cash advance, if needed. This can be a great tool if you find yourself in that position.
Bottom Line
Unbeatable identity protection features, all 3 free credit scores, an extremely easy to use interface, and a full 30 day free trial, makes this service really stand out from the crowd. If you are looking to check your credit scores, and are also concerned about protecting your identity, this service is definitely worth trying.
Similar services to consider
Even though we believe Identity Guard is top notch overall, there are some who might be better served by a competing service. For example, those who are less concerned about identity theft protection, and more concerned about credit score monitoring, might be better served by FreeCreditScore.com.
On the other hand, if you are more concerned about cost, and protecting your identity… and less concerned about credit score monitoring, then ProtectMyID.com might suit you best. Even though it doesn’t give you a free credit score, it costs significantly less, and offers discounted credit scores for purchase. We invite you to read all our reviews to determine the best option for you.
