by Keith Morris
Topic: ID Theft
> 2 min read
8.7
Features
9.1
Customer Service
8.7
Convenience
8.8
Rating
PROS
CONS
Verdict
Considering its long history and pedigree, IDShield comes out to be one of the top providers of ID theft security. Although it is on the more expensive side starting at $12.95 a month, however, the level of security is right up there along with extensive credit monitoring depending on the plan you choose. The only downside seems to its complicated cancellation process, which requires you to write an email or request cancellation through regular mail. All in all, it is a great option for digital security if paying a bit extra is not an issue for you.
Contents
- 1 IDShield Reviews: Identity Theft Protection
- 1.1 What is IDShield?
- 1.2 Features & Services
- 1.2.1 Access to expert consultation
- 1.2.2 Easy mobile access
- 1.2.3 Thorough internet monitoring
- 1.2.4 Lost wallet assistance
- 1.2.5 Address change tracking
- 1.2.6 Social security monitoring
- 1.2.7 Court records surveillance
- 1.2.8 Access to credit scores
- 1.2.9 Credit inquiry alerts
- 1.2.10 Payday loan alerts
- 1.2.11 Reliable child protection
- 1.2.12 $5 million service guarantee
- 1.3 Pricing & Plans
- 2 Frequently Asked Questions
- 3 Competitive Comparison
- 4 Conclusion
- 5 Why Do You Need Identity Theft Protection?
It’s easy to tell yourself that you don’t have any risk of ID theft or online fraud because you aren’t a celebrity or don’t hold great wealth. However, that’s not the case anymore. If you have an email, social media account or a bank account, no matter how small, you have a big red circle painted on your back.
And it doesn’t end there. Once your details are compromised, that gives them almost direct access to your loved ones, putting them in great danger. At best, it will be a huge headache, and there’s no limit to damage it can cause. From bankruptcy to private information leakage, there are countless ways ID theft can affect your life.
Your only option is to stay a step ahead and act proactively to improve your digital safety. Let’s explore what are some of the risks that we are exposed to and how to mitigate them. Moreover, we will also review an ID theft protection service, IDShield to help you decide if it can keep you and your loved ones safe.
Compare Plans
Features | Individual 1 Credit Bureau Monitoring | Individual 3 Credit Bureau Monitoring |
|---|---|---|
Pricing | ||
Family plan | $26, for 2 adults & up to 10 kids | $33, for 2 adults & up to 10 kids |
Mobile apps | ||
Credit reports | TransUnion | Equifax, Experian, TransUnion |
Credit bureaus monitored | TransUnion | Equifax, Experian, TransUnion |
Frequency of credit reports | Quarterly | Quarterly |
Frequency of credit scores | Monthly | Monthly |
Type of credit score | VantageScore 3.0 | VantageScore 3.0 |
Surveillance of banks accounts & credit card activity | ||
Dark web monitoring | ||
Sex offender alert | ||
Data breach alerts | ||
Investment account monitoring | ||
ID-theft Insurance | $1 million | $1 million |
Lost-wages coverage | $1,500 per week for 5 weeks | $1,500 per week for 5 weeks |
IDShield Reviews: Identity Theft Protection
Let’s explore the key strengths and weaknesses of IDShield:
What is IDShield?
IDShield is one of the earlier firms that formed the modern digital protection niche. With more than 15 years to its name, it is one of the oldest ID protection services currently operating in the US and Canadian markets. It caters to over a million customers across 50 US states and 4 Canadian provinces. It functions under the umbrella of its parent firm, LegalShield, which specializes in providing legal protection and administrative assistance in an event of unforeseen traumatic experiences.
Features & Services
You will have access to an extensive feature basket. Here’s a detailed overview of its core features & services:
Access to expert consultation
IDShield will take on the heavy lifting when it comes to administrative and legal technicalities concerning ID theft. If you fall prey to ID theft, they will assign you a private investigator licensed from Kroll’s to kick-start the restoration process. You can also take advantage of their consultation services for non-urgent issues.
Easy mobile access
IDShield has an easy to use mobile app which makes it very easy for you to monitor your security on the go and get in touch with customer service or a restoration agent.
Thorough internet monitoring
IDShield has a robust internet surveillance mechanism, which monitors several data points to ensure your digital safety. They include major black market websites, chat rooms and sharing networks. It will prompt you the moment it finds a match with your personal information such as name, financial details, social security number, etc.
Lost wallet assistance
We all know canceling our cards can be a colossal hassle if we lose our wallet. IDShield will help you cancel the cards quickly the moment you report your wallet stolen.
Address change tracking
IDShield collaborates with United States Postal Service to track address changes. You will get an alert if a request for mailing address change is made on your behalf. After you sign up, they will also provide an initial history of address changes for the past 18 months.
Social security monitoring
You will be immediately alerted if your social security details have been accessed or found on any web forum or black market.
Court records surveillance
You will get a notification if it detects any record of unlawful activity against your name. IDShield claims to search over 350 million records to ensure your legal record is not tampered with. The main search sources include county courts, Department of Corrections (DOC), Administration of the Courts (AOC).
Access to credit scores
When it comes to credit monitoring IDShield one of the best services. Being a member, you will have access to the quarterly report of your credit scores from TransUnion. The credit score also shares the main factors that could have impacted your credit score.
Credit inquiry alerts
To commit fraud, someone may apply for a new credit account in your name. You will receive an email the moment someone requests your credit scores. They add an extra layer of security by also monitoring if someone has asked for your credit reports to make a financial outlay e.g. applying for a mortgage without your knowledge.
Payday loan alerts
They claim to monitor more than 20,000 short term loan provision establishments and generate a detailed report every month along with an initial evaluation report once you signup. They will send you an alert the moment there is a loan application or other such activity against your name.
Reliable child protection
Although most ID protection services provide a family plan but few can match the level of minor protection IDShield does. They will flag the minute they find any aliases and addresses associated with your child. To do so they closely monitor several public data sources including real estate data, new mover information, property and recorder of deed registration, county assessor/record data, internet job site providers, state occupational license data providers, voter information, public records/court proceedings, bankruptcies, liens, and judgments.
$5 million service guarantee
This is another area where IDShield beats the competition. The service says it will deploy administrative and legal resources of up to $5 million to help you restore your identity if you fall victim to ID theft. Moreover, the process will start within 1 working day of filing a case and you will have 24-7 access (including holidays) to their case resolution department.
Pricing & Plans
IDShield has categorized its plans according to individual and family plans. The service has taken a novel approach when it comes to offering its plans. The security features and other services including the ID restoration process is the same across all plans. In addition to individual and family, the plans are further divided into 4 sub-categories.
They have differentiated the plans according to the level of credit monitoring. You can either choose credit monitoring from only 1 agency (TransUnion) or all 3 agencies, namely, TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. Here’s a closer look at their pricing structure:
CATEGORY |
|---|
Individual, one-bureau plan |
Individual, three-bureau plan |
Family, one-bureau plan |
Family, three-bureau plan |
Although the feature bucket is quite expansive but the service doesn’t currently offer any bulk discounts or a free trial period. Moreover, the cancellation process is a bit cumbersome too. Most services can be canceled through phone you must email or request through regular mail if you want your IDShield membership canceled.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How good is IDShield?
As explained earlier, IDShield is one of the oldest and most respected names in the ID theft niche. From up to $5 million ID restoration support to a robust family plan, few competitors come close. Moreover, they provide a multi-layered security framework that includes IP restrictions, VPN access, multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection systems, rotating encryption keys, configuration control, and reliable encryption protocols.
2. What is IDShield Cloud?
'https://idshield.cloud/login' is the link through which you will have to activate you IDShield account. You will also use the same link to login to your account.
3. What is IDShield Plus?
According to a user forum, it is their mobile app.
4. How do I cancel IDShield?
This is where IDShield needs to improve. While most other services provide an easy cancellation process through the phone. With IDShield you must either write them an email or send your cancellation request through regular mail otherwise your membership will remain active.
5. What is the family plan of IDShield?
Under their family plan, you can bring your spouse/partner under protection along with up to 10 children under the age of 18. For children between ages 18-26 surveillance services are not offered, however, IDShield will assist them in case of ID theft.
6. Is IDShield the same as LegalShield?
LegalShield is the parent company of IDShield. It specializes in providing legal protection and administrative assistance in an event of unforeseen traumatic experiences.
7. Does it have a free trial?
Unfortunately, currently, it does not offer a free trial, which can be discouraging considering that it is not on the cheaper side. Also, there are no bulk pricing discounts of offer either.
8. What is 1 Bureau vs. 3 Bureau monitoring?
IDShield essentially divides its individual and family plans according to the level of credit monitoring services. If you choose 1 bureau variation, you will get a credit report from TransUnion only. For 3 bureau variation, credit reports from Equifax and Experian will be provided in addition to TransUnion report.
Competitive Comparison
Let’s see how it stands up against some of the other available ID protection services
IDShield vs Identity Force
IDShield pulls ahead of Identity Force when it comes to value for money. While the individual plan starts from $12.95 a month, Identity Force offers its starter plan for almost $18 a month. Also, IDShield offers credit report from TransUnion with its beginner plan while Identity Force does not. However, Identity Force does offer bulk discounts on its plans.
IDShield vs Identity Guard
If you’re looking for an option that provides decent ID theft protection and is wallet-friendly as well, then Identity Guard is the option that stands out as it starts at $8.99 a month while IDShield starts at $12.95 a month.
Both companies are trusted as proven by the number of people who buy their products. Read more about this comparison and answer the question, "Which Do you Prefer?"
Here are our other articles comparing other Identity Protection Services:
Conclusion
IDShield comes out to be one of the top providers of ID theft security. Although it is on the more expensive side starting at $12.95 a month, however, the level of security is right up there along with extensive credit monitoring depending on the plan you choose. The only downside seems to its complicated cancellation process, which requires you to write an email or request cancellation through regular mail.
Why Do You Need Identity Theft Protection?
What Is Identity Theft?
Any access to your personal or financial information without your clear consent falls under identity theft. From phishing schemes to elaborate insurance and loan frauds, it can take many forms.
Why It Makes Sense To Sign Up For An Identity Protection Service?
A good percentage of ID theft victims are those who slack off on their digital security or don’t feel it is worth to “spend extra” to improve their digital safety. And by the time they realize their mistake, it is too late.
So it makes sense to learn about digital security threats and to invest in a reliable service that is capable of keeping hackers and fraudsters at bay. Take a look at some of the security risks that an unprotected digital presence presents and some compelling reasons to invest in ID theft protection:
Risks of a weak digital presence:
- Your finances will be the first target. It’s very common for ID theft victims to file for bankruptcy.
- Your sensitive and personal information will likely end up on the dark web and other open digital forums.
- Loan and medical insurance fraud along with the added risk of having your court records tampered.
Reasons for investing in ID theft protection:
- Monitoring: From your social media profiles to bank account activity, an ID protection service will closely monitor countless data points to keep you safe.
- Timely alerts: A timely notification will greatly improve your probability of surviving an attempted breach.
- Safety from financial loss and recovery: Although the state of online security is much better than what it used to be some years ago. However, people still fall victim to elaborate digital frauds. Most ID theft services offer a generous insurance cover for victims thus ensuring they are safe from a total financial disaster.
About the Author
Keith Morris is a 20+ year veteran of the security game, with the knowledge and experience to set you on the right track toward personal safety and security. His firm is committed to giving you the tools and know-how to combat any threat to your safety.
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