Can a Credit Freeze be Activated at all 3 Credit Agencies with Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION?

Q:  Can a credit freeze be activated at all 3 credit agencies with Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION?

A:  Identity Guard® TOTAL PROTECTION will walk you through the steps to set a fraud alert at each of the 3 credit bureaus.  Identity Guard will not help you set up credit freezes. You can always do this on your own although there is typically a cost that varies on a state by state basis.

If you're interested in an identity theft service that will set credit freezes for you, Trusted ID IDEssentials is an excellent choice. Trusted ID features an add on to their service called CreditLock that will do this on your behalf. There is a cost of $44.95 to lock your credit reports with all 3 bureaus and $39.95 to unlock them, but you would have to pay even if you did it on your own. Trusted ID is one of our top reviewed identity theft protection services and offers a free 14-day trial to NextAdvisor readers.

Before you move forward, it's a good idea to distinguish between what a fraud alert and a credit freeze are.  A fraud alert is set for 90 days and asks the 3 major credit bureaus to verify your identity by using "reasonable policies and procedures" prior to opening an account in your name.  Typically this means they will call you to confirm.  A credit freeze completely prevents any new creditors from being able to access your credit report for any reason.   To learn more about the differences between credit freezes and fraud alerts see our Fraud Alert and Credit Freeze Guide.

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Do I Have To Sign Up For Identity Theft Protect and Credit Monitoring Separately?

Q:  I am interested in signing up for identity theft protection and also credit monitoring.  Do I need to sign up for each individually?

A:  No, you don't.  Our top-rated Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION® provides both comprehensive identity theft protection and thorough 3-bureau credit monitoring.  Upon signup for their free 30-day trial, you'll also receive free 3-bureau credit scores, a free public record report and free Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite software – yours to keep even if you cancel during the trial period.  We like Identity Guard so much, we even rated them #1 in our identity theft protection reviews and credit monitoring reviews.

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How can I get identity theft protection for my daughter?

Q:  How can I get identity theft protection for my daughter?

A:  Good question!  A couple of our top-rated identity theft protection services offer protection for your children too.  Most people don't realize it, but children are easy prey for identity thieves because their lack of credit history means they usually don't have any credit records.  Therefore, the occurrence of credit-related identity theft can go undetected for quite some time. And even if a child does have a credit report it typically isn't checked until after they turn 18, which means fraudulent activity could have happened without anyone being aware of it. That's why it's a good idea to subscribe to an identity theft protect service that will help protect your child.

Both of these services we discuss below are highly recommended by NextAdvisor, and are great choices to help protect your children from identity theft.  They both also offer free trials to NextAdvisor readers, so you can give them a test drive without reaching into your pocketbook.

TrustedID's IDFreeze will protect your entire family, including your spouse and children, for just $13.46 per month (with annual prepay). The only requirement is that everyone has to be living at the same address. IDFreeze will monitor the Internet black market for your child's Social Security number, bank accounts, name and address. It also monitors the Internet and public records for any changes to or misuse of your child's name, address, or Social Security number. In addition your child will be given an Identity Threat Score which provides a gauge of his/her individual risk level.  Right now Trusted ID is offering NextAdvisor readers a free 14-day trial, so you can test drive it free of charge and see if it's a good fit.

Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION® features an add-on service called kID Sure. kID Sure monitors the Internet black market for your child's Social Security number (SSN) and registered bank account numbers, scans public records for you child's SSN and name, and provides ongoing monitoring of applications submitted using a child's data. It also features ID Risk Assessment^® of your child's current risk level for identity theft.  Although kID Sure requires that you sign up for Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION first ($14.99/mo with NextAdvisor discount), it's just an extra $4.99 per month per child. Identity Guard is extending NextAdvisor reader a 30-day free trial of their TOTAL PROTECTION service, so you can see if the service is to your liking before adding kID Sure to it (Note: there is no free trial for kID Sure).

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How Many Computers are Protected Under Identity Guard? Will the Price Go Up?

Q: Will Identity Guard protect all computers in the home for the basic price of $14.99? When does the price go up to $17.99?

A: Our top-rated identity theft protection solution, Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION® includes free anti-virus, firewall, anti-phishing and anti-spam software from Zone Alarm Internet when you sign up. Your subscription also includes PRIVACYPROTECT® and MOBILE LOCKBOX® technology to help protect you from hackers and thieves attempting to access your personal information and online transactions. We gave customer support a call and found that once you sign up for Identity Guard and download the Zone Alarm software to your computer, only that particular computer will be protected.

If you sign up for an Identity Guard subscription through NextAdvisor, you'll get the discounted monthly price of $14.99, which is a really great deal. Although this is not a "trial" price and there are no immediate plans to change the monthly price, like most other services, Identity Guard cannot guarantee that the price will always stay the same. If they do raise the price in the future, they'll notify you ahead of time via email. Then if you feel the value isn't in it for you anymore you can choose to cancel your subscription. Since it's a monthly subscription you're not tied into any long-term contracts.

We have to say we really like Identity Guard's identity theft protection service because it is the most comprehensive out of all the identity theft services we review. Identity Guard monitors your credit reports at all 3 credit bureaus and includes free 3-bureau credit scores. It also monitors public records for any changes in your name, scans databases for application or Social Security fraud, and monitors the Internet's black market for any use of your credit cards or other personal information. Right now they are even offering NextAdvisor readers a free 30-day trial, so you can check it out and see if it meets your needs. If you don't think it's the service for you, just cancel during the trial period and you won't be billed. You'll get to keep your credit scores and the ZoneAlarm Internet Secuity suite for free, even if you cancel during the trial, so it's a win-win.

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If I put a credit freeze on my credit report, does that mean that no one can make a purchase on any of my credit cards until I unfreeze my credit?

Q:  If I put a credit freeze on my credit report, does that mean that no one can make a purchase on any of my credit cards until I unfreeze my credit?

A: No, it doesn't. A credit freeze is specifically related to the information on your credit report and means that no new creditors will be able to access your credit report for any reason. It will help prevent anyone from applying for a new credit card using your information, but it does not have anything to do with preventing purchases on the credit cards you already have.

If you have concerns about your identity being compromised or having someone use your credit cards without your permission or knowledge, it would be wise to call your credit card company and cancel the card. They will reissue a new card with a new number free of charge. You should also consider subscribing to one of our top ranked identity theft protection services. Several of the services we review offer free trials and even free credit scores, including Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION®.

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I'm pretty sure my identity has already been stolen. What can I do about it?

The following post is an actual user submitted question:

Q:  I'm pretty sure my identity has already been stolen.  What can I do about it?

A: We're sorry to hear about this, because we know having your identity stolen can be very stressful. The first thing you should do is follow the comprehensive steps in our What To Do If Someone Has Stolen Your Identity blog post. You should also seriously consider a top-notch identity theft protection service like Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION®.

Identity Guard Total Protection provides comprehensive identity theft protection, which will be especially important in a situation like yours. They start with daily 3-bureau credit monitoring, the gold standard for catching any potential identity thieves that may have opened an account in your name. But they also provide extensive fraud prevention measures including monitoring the Internet black market for the use of your Social Security number, credit cards or bank account numbers. In addition they monitor public records for changes to your name, address, license and registrations, criminal records, civil court records and bankruptcy filings.  Identity Guard subscriptions also include free anti-keylogging software, mobile security software and Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite.

Right now Identity Guard is offering a free 30-day trial and 18% off the subscription price to NextAdvisor readers. This means not only do you get free identity theft protection for a month, but you'll also receive free 3-bureau credit scores to boot. All-in-all a great deal from our top-reviewed identity theft protection service.

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Does identity theft protection cover husband and wife for one monthly fee or is it each person?

Q:  Does identity theft protection cover husband and wife for one monthly fee or is it each person?

A: It depends on which identity theft protection service you select. Most base their protection on a per-person basis, so they charge separately for each person. However, TrustedID offers a great family plan that covers everyone living at the same address, so both husband and wife would be covered.

TrustedID is an excellent value at just $20 per month for the family plan (with annual prepay), and provides it's members with a broad range of identity theft protection features. TrustedID IDEssentials monitors the Internet black market for any suspicious activity involving your personal information such as your credit cards, bank accounts and Social Security number. Trusted ID also monitors the Internet and public records for any changes to or misuse of your Social Security number, name or address. Other features include medical record protection, free anti-spyware software and a host of other features.  In addition, IDEssentials provides 3-bureau credit monitoring and  all 3 credit reports and scores when you sign up.

Overall, we think TrustedID IDEssentials is a great deal, and right now they are offering a free 14-day trial and 15% discount if you sign up for one of their annual plans. And if after your sign up you don't feel the service is a good fit for you, you can cancel during the trial period free of charge and still keep you free credit reports and scores.

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In case of an event, will Identity Guard work with the customer to get the problem solved free of charge?

Q:  In case of an event, will Identity Guard work with the customer to get the problem solved free of charge?

A: If your identity is compromised while you're subscribed to IDENTITY GUARD Total Protection®, you'll have full (free) access to the ID Theft Recovery Unit (ITAC).  The ITAC will be with you from start to finish, walking you through the steps that need to happen to resolve the issue and helping you get your good name and credit back.  The exact steps vary depending on what type of identity theft event has occurred, but common steps include setting up a case report for you, setting fraud alerts on your account, helping to notify creditors of any suspicious activity and sharing data with law enforcement agencies.  In addition, if it's needed the ITAC will work to have the fraud removed from your credit history.  And if there are any legal fees, affidavits or notary fees involved in resolving the issue, Identity Guard's 1 million dollar loss reimbusement will cover the expenses.

Overall, we think Identity Guard Total Protection is an excellent identity theft protection service.  And right now they are offering NextAdvisor readers a free 30-day trial and a 15% discount, so you can sign up free of charge and see if the service is a good fit for you.

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How does TrustedID inform me of any unusual activity on my account?

Q:  How does TrustedID inform me of any unusual activity on my account?

A: TrustedID IDEssentials monitors the Internet black market for any suspicious activity involving your personal information such as Social Security number, credit cards and bank accounts.  They also monitor your 3-bureau credit reports for changes and the Internet and public records for any changes to or misuse of your name, address, or Social Security number.

If any changes are noticed in your credit reports, you will be notified via email.  If any unusual activity is seen during the Internet black market and public record monitoring, TrustedID will call you on the phone.

Right now TrustedID is offering NextAdvisor readers a 14-day free trial of their service.  As an added bonus you'll receive all 3-bureau credit scores and reports when you signup for the trial.  These scores and reports are yours to keep, even if you cancel during the trial period.

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I have an incorrect entry in my credit report. How do I get rid of it and where did it come from in the first place?

Q: I have an incorrect entry in my credit report. I have two addresses and one isn't mine. How do I get rid of this address and where did it come from in the first place? I reside at 418 Woodgate Road not 418 Westgate Road. Has my identity been compromised and I didn't know it?

A: First, you've done a smart thing by carefully going through your credit report for potential errors or discrepancies.  Make sure you've gone through all of your 3-bureaus reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and not just one of two, because the information on them can differ. The information on your credit reports is provided to the credit bureaus by creditors, lenders, insurers, employers and other companies with which you may have a financial relationship.  If you find an error, you need to contact the specific credit bureau with the error.  Although this sounds onerous, you can submit a dispute request online.  The links for each of the bureaus are below.

Equifax
Experian
TransUnion

Regarding whether your identity has been compromised, it's possible.  However, it's also possible that it's an honest mistake as street names are often misspelled.  If this is the only error on all 3 of your credit reports and there is no indication anyone has tried to open a credit line under your name, you're probably safe.  But the possibility of identity theft still exists.  Nowadays thieves can use your name and identity to gain access to everything from your medical insurance to a mortgage.

To be safe, it's smart to sign up for an identity theft protection service like Identity Guard TOTAL PROTECTION®. Identity Guard will monitor your 3-bureau credit reports and alert you if change occurs. They will also monitor public records for any changes in your name, scan databases for application or Social Security fraud, and monitor the Internet's black market for any use of your personal information or credit cards. In addition they provide members with free anti-keylogging software, mobile security software and lost wallet protection.  As an added bonus when you sign up for their free 30-day trial you'll get all 3 of your credit scores.

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