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Kroll Identity Theft Shield identity theft protection service review
June 27th, 2008 - Posted by Joe
We recently posted a brief comparison between Kroll and Prepaid Legal's Identity Theft Shield, LifeLock and Identity Guard. Today we posted a formal review of the service on our main identity theft protection service comparison.
Identity Theft Shield offers single or three bureau credit monitoring (depending on the level of service that is purchased) and fairly extensive identity theft victim recovery services. The major downside to the service is that it provides no proactive identity theft prevention for subscribers. The service is definitely worth a look although we wouldn't recommend it to most consumers.
You can learn more by reading our full review of Kroll Identity Theft Shield or by visiting our identity theft protection service guide.
20 Responses to “Kroll Identity Theft Shield identity theft protection service review”
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July 2nd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
You say that Identity Theft Shield does not have any process to PREVENT identity theft. That is because there is NO WAY to prevent it. Your name & mine & our information is in too many data bases over which we have no control. Identity theft does not stop with FINANCIAL theft! What about MEDICAL, DMV, SOCIAL SECURITY & CRIMINAL? Will Lifelock do anything about them?
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Hi Ruth,
Thank you very much for your comment.
While there is no way to prevent 100% of identity theft crimes, there are certainly several identity theft protection services that greatly reduce the risk that their subscribers will be victimized. Identity Theft Shield does not offer any of these types of services which is why we say it does not prevent identity theft.
The recovery assistance offered varies by provider. LifeLock does cover some of the types of identity theft you mention. Others, such as ID Watchdog, cover all of those and more. That service also has early warning tools that can catch potential identity theft in its earliest stages and way before it would show up on a credit report.
We have received quite a few comments and emails from proponents of Kroll/prepaid legal's identity theft shield product since we posted our review. What is interesting is that most of those communications focused more on the perceived shortcomings of competitive service rather than extolling the virtues of identity theft shield.
Are their aspects of identity theft shield that we are not representing accurately in our review? Or, is it simply that identity theft shields proponents believe there is no benefit in making any attempt to prevent identity theft?
Thanks,
Joe Fahrner
NextAdvisor.com
July 24th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Joe,
I don't think it is that you are misrepresenting the ID Shield at all, you compared a portion of it to other comparable companies.
LifeLock associates your SSN with credit monitoring, GREAT! Because 99% of the time that is what is needed to pull your Credit Report.
ID Shield, protects you if someone uses your SSN to get a job and not pay taxes for a whole year. It also protects your Drivers License, Medical, Character & Criminal, Social Security, and Financial Identity.
It sounds like Lifelock simply deals with the Financial part of your Identity and prevents that part of it, which is great. I would rather be protected in all areas instead of just one.
I think this is were Ruth wasn't portraying her word's very well.
Take care,
Ken Brown
July 24th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Hi Ken,
Thank you very much for your comment.
I wouldn't say that LifeLock only deals with the financial aspects of identity theft. It is accurate to say that setting fraud alerts, as LifeLock does, is certainly a way to help lessen the risk of financial identity theft.
But, LifeLock also offers other proactive measures to help prevent or alert subscribers to other forms of identity theft. For example, their eRecon service looks for instances of it's subscribers personal information (name, address, social security number, driver's license number, bank account/credit card numbers, etc) being bought, sold or otherwise improperly used online. Additionally, they monitor address change requests (a classic way to steal an identity is by rerouting postal mail to gain access to sensitive data).
We see these tools as being effective in preventing several of the types of id theft you have pointed out.
If you want to simply compare restoration services, we believe that ID Watchdog is a far more comprehensive service than Identity Theft Shield. ID Watchdog mixes early warning through extensive monitoring of public records databases with a guarantee that will restore your identity no matter what form of theft you have fallen victim to. They have the most extensive recovery/restoration guarantee we have seen in the industry.
Ultimately, our goal is to provide information so that consumers can make their own decision. There is no one right service for everyone and just because we don't believe that Identity Theft Shield is the best service in general doesn't mean that it isn't the right service for some people based off of their needs.
Thanks again for stopping by and for your comment.
Joe Fahrner
NextAdvisor.com
March 15th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I don't normally comment on blogs but your post was a real call to action. Thank you for a great read, I will be sure to bookmark your site and check in now and again. Cheers, Amy xXx.
July 13th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Kroll Identity Theft Shield completely RESTORES your identity to 100% satisfaction. There is NO company that can completely monitor your Criminal, Social Security, Medical, Drivers License Identity, and Lifelock, like most companies is only monitoring your financial identity. Truth be told when the CEO of Lifelock identity was stolen it was Kroll that restored his identity. My husband's identity was stolen last year and we thank Kroll Identity Theft Shield and Pre-Paid Legal everyday for RESTORING my husband's identity to our complete satisfaction. Once Kroll discovered his identity had been stolen it was restored within a matter of days! Their professionalism and quick response to our questions was unbeatable! This is a company that truly stands behind their product.
September 4th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
It is obvious that the person that wrote this so called "comparison" is affiliated with Lifelock.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Ahh I have been searching recordsfor a while now, but havent found what i've been looking for. very frustrating.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Just google the words Lifelock and Experian lawsuit. You might want to reconsider some of the advice here.
October 20th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Good Morning, I was reading the info and I find it amazing that you simply state that all the other IDT programs offer preventive protection. One example you use is the credit (fraud)alerts. That is used only after IDT has happened and is not used as a first stage preventive tool. Lifelock for example I find it amazing that you would say that it works, when the founder of lifelocks own identity has been stolen and used by thieves.
The truth is every person needs to educate themselves on what type of IDT Plan that would best suit them. The IDT Shield offers preventive monitoring in all 5 areas and restoration of IDT by KROLL International the number one Risk management in the world. I personally would rather be protected by a company that has more eperience in the identity theft arena then any other company in the US. I personally would NOT trust my identity to a company that is just starting out or its own founder has had his identity stolen.
As I mentioned before every individual needs to decide for themselves, I would like to think that everyone out there would rather have a company with years of proven experience to protect them.
December 5th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
to Joe Fahrner:
Please give me your response to the fact that the CEO of Lifelock has had his own ID stolen at least 13 times, and used Kroll, the same company used by the Identity Theft Shield, to restore his identity. Thanks you in advance for your response.
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Protection Id is right, kroll is number one i dont care what their dumb little star reviews on this site is kroll is number 1 no ifs and or buts
May 24th, 2011 at 11:37 am
Pursuant to your About Us statement copied below,
How can you accept fees for promoting a certain company's products and then call yourselves independent and bias-free?
"Our reviews are free for consumers. In order to keep our service free for users, we have struck deals with most of the providers we list to receive a fee only if we refer them someone who signs up for their service. We do not accept payment of any kind for writing reviews. Our reviews are unbiased and independent."
September 7th, 2011 at 2:50 pm
There is noticeably a bunch to realize about this. I think you made certain nice points in features also.
October 17th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
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November 7th, 2011 at 8:09 am
I've read the reviews (all that I can find on this site) and the comments. Overall, I've come up with a question about the services you seem to be promoting on this site:
How does knowing that your identity information is being sold protect you from identity theft?
How does scanning databases protect you from identity theft if someone gets your information in a non-electronic method and if they use it themselves rather than sell it over electronic means?
Example: If I go to the local flea market and purchase an identity to use to get a job? How will the services you promote protect me? If I get a traffic ticket that I don't go to court and pay – thus generating a bench warrant for my arrest, then how will the various services protect me?
I can see so many ways that my identity can be compromised and no amount of scanning database seem to be able to help. So…who provides me with the best service for restoring my identity and getting me out of trouble?
January 4th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Generally I don't learn post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, quite nice post.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Ask yourself: Where are my school records? My first job app? Did anyone have access to the DMV records? What has become of my credit card # at the video rental store? I have Identity theft Shield, powered (serviced) by Kroll. I.D. Theft shield will alert me when someone tries to change address, open an account, get a drivers license, buy a house, use my s.s.#, or is involved in a legal matter. Along with my Legal Shield membership, I am well protected. I can get a lawyer 24/7 in emergencies on the phone to advise me or speak directly to law enforcement or other agencies when I am detained, arrested, accused or victimized. Also, I.D. Theft Shield vigorously tracks & searches for criminals that use your identity for crimes. No company can prevent it, only keep watch & react when it does. Go to databasebreaches.com – it'll scare you……..
January 11th, 2012 at 9:50 pm
LifeLock settles with FTC over 'deceptive' ads
LifeLock spent millions spreading its CEO's Social Security Number all across America. Now the firm will spend $12 million settling claims that it engaged in deceptive advertising and failed to protect customers' personal information.
The Federal Trade Commission and 35 state attorneys general announced on Tuesday that Lifelock is changing its business model to address allegations of unfair and deceptive business practices.
"They developed a market to capitalize on consumers' fear," FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said at a news conference. "They were exaggerating the service they offered to consumers. This was a fairly egregious case of deceptive advertising."
Consumers who signed up with the service as early as 2005 — about 1 million customers in all — will be eligible for refunds. The fine is steep for the firm, said Leibowitz.
"We're taking all the money they had on hand," he said.
The firm remains in business, and has agreed to change its advertising practices. Leibowitz said its services do provide some protection against identity theft, but not the level it repeatedly promised consumers in its well-known advertising campaigns.
LifeLock made a name for itself by plastering CEO Todd Davis' Social Security Number across billboards and other advertising. Many of the ads suggested that LifeLock could provide absolute protection against ID theft.
In one ad, the firm said it could make consumers' personal information "useless to a criminal."
"Consumers received far less protection than they were promised," Leibowitz said. For example, Lifelock was useless against identity theft involving existing credit cards or bank accounts, he said.
The firm also collected extensive personal information from consumers when they registered, and promised to keep that data safe. The FTC says LifeLock failed to do so. In its complaint, the FTC says the firm:
Did not encrypt data, but stored and transmitted it in clear text.
Failed to require employees to use hard-to-guess passwords.
Did not install patches and critical updates.
Did not plan for common vulnerabilities to their network, including SQL injection attacks.
Did not install antivirus software on employee computers.
Allowed faxes with personal information to be available in open office area.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said LifeLock engaged in "scare tactics" while advertising to state residents. She said the firm sent letters to individual consumers implying they were at heightened risk for ID theft — one of which was mailed to her at home.
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"Don't be scared into spending your hard-earned money," she said, addressing consumers.
Lifelock has numerous imitators in the marketplace. Madigan said her office will continue to monitor their advertising.
"Know that if you are misleading consumers, we will go after you," she said.
LifeLock CEO Todd Davis said his firm has addressed all concerns raised by the FTC and has long since abandoned many of the techniques the agency said were misleading.
"This has has no impact on current practices or products," he said. "We haven't used the (Social Security number) ad in quite some time." He also said personal data stored by LifeLock is now carefully guarded, and that the FTC complaint refers to vulnerabilites that have been addressed.
January 24th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
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