With all the crap going on nowadays I am starting to look into credit monitoring services.
I know Ideal I would like to have the 3 credit companies be monitored.
This is what I have looked up so far.
lifelock
identity force
Does anybody use one?
Lifelock’s CEO published his social security number in an ad to promote their service and then had his identity stolen at least 13 times since 
https://www.wired.com/2010/05/lifelock-identity-theft/
They also were fined $100 million by the FTC for failing to comply with a previous order which “charged that LifeLock merely put fraud alerts on its customers’ credit files, which did not protect against identity theft from existing accounts, nor did it prevent fraudsters from using a person’s ID to get medical care or to apply for jobs”
Here’s a quick write up I made that’s more useful than just poking fun at Lifelock…
There are three major credit bureaus; Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Here are some options for protecting your data.
Security Freeze
When a security freeze is in place at all three major credit bureaus, an identity thief cannot open a new account because the potential creditor or seller of services will not be able to check the credit file. When the consumer is applying for credit, he or she can lift the freeze temporarily using a PIN so legitimate applications for credit or services can be processed.
There is a fee to do this. In Minnesota there are no fees for identity theft victims who provide police report. All others pay $5 to place the freeze, lift it temporarily, or remove it altogether. You must do this at each bureau individually.
Fraud Alert
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0275-place-fraud-alert
When you have an alert on your report, a business must verify your identity before it issues credit, so it may try to contact you. The initial alert stays on your report for at least 90 days. You can renew it after 90 days.
These are free and you only need to contact one bureau who will update the others on your behalf.
Free Credit Reports
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.
To order your free report visit https://www.annualcreditreport.com. Since there are three bureaus you could get a report about every 4 months by staggering them.
Credit Monitoring
Check with your bank or credit card provider; many include credit monitoring services.
https://www.creditkarma.com
Credit Karma is a free service that monitors TransUnion and Equifax. It has the ability to send you alerts whenever your credit report changes. Changes include things like a new account being added or credit inquiries being made.
I’ve had LifeLock for several years. I don’t know how they perform as I haven’t been breached. I look at it more as an insurance policy than a security system.
It’s virtually impossible for one of these companies to prevent a theft when SSN’s are compromised. They should help me detect a theft faster and they claim they will help defend me when it happens. For those promises they get a couple hundred dollars a year from me.
Have not used an agency so can’t attest to it 100%, but I’ve had my credit card compromised twice in the last 5 years. Both times I found out when they shut it down and my card declined. Called, verified who I was, got a new card in the mail 24hrs later. Don’t see how a third party agency would’ve made any difference. If it would’ve been a debit card vs a credit card may have been worse.
Internet purchases and banking is just looking for trouble in my opinion. But then i’m a old guy who still knows what green cash looks like.
Have not used an agency so can’t attest to it 100%, but I’ve had my credit card compromised twice in the last 5 years. Both times I found out when they shut it down and my card declined. Called, verified who I was, got a new card in the mail 24hrs later. Don’t see how a third party agency would’ve made any difference. If it would’ve been a debit card vs a credit card may have been worse.
I don’t see what you have being taken as the big risk. The big risk is that people use your identity to take out new loans and accounts you don’t know about until it’s too late. It’s easy enough to see a charge on your card and to call your bank and say no dice. It’s a different story to find out months after the fact that someone bought a house and car in your name 500 miles away somewhere.
Credit karma alerted us to the fact that our social security numbers were used to open 3new credit cards. It took months of calls and emails to get them closed. It was a mess. That was one year ago. We put security freeze on our accounts and just last week we got a letter from a credit card company turning us down for a new line of credit. We contacted them by phone and told them that it was not me that applied for this. So this does work. Be careful out there.
I use IDShield and here is why. In addition to credit monitoring I get the piece of mind that if my identity is compromised I will have an agency working on my behalf to resolve it.
Please please do not think of identity theft as only credit card issues. That is only the most common of the issues. More and more people are getting their health insurance id’s stolen (hence all the breaches at healthcare companies) and social security numbers and driver’s licenses stolen. Imagine getting a $50,000 hospital bill that was not for you? Imagine your kids getting credit card bills. The list goes on and on. Parking tickets or a warrant for your arrest!!
Look up IDShield and contact me if you have any questions. You need someone fighting for you if this tragedy happens to you.
I have lifelock. We get an alert to confirm when a new acct is opened. Last time it was about 15 minutes after she opened a banana republic card when we got the call and email.
Bumping this as it’s still a mess out there. My Experian account was breached this morning. Locked/Froze my TransUnion and Equifax accounts but I’m still unable to get clarification and access to my Experian account. It appears whoever gained access already changed my security questions and pin. When I went to their account freeze page it won’t work and they want me to snail mail my ID and an electric bill with optional police report. Been on the phone 3 times with them today to try and resolve and still don’t have resolution other than them telling me to wait 72-hours and try to log back in. I have an “alert” set up but I’m unable to lock it. Hopefully the Fraud Alert I placed at Equifax moves across accounts.
I have MyIDCare. Its complimentary for 5 years since my personal work information was breached by a Chinese cyber-intrusion into classified files kept by the General Services Administration Personnel File.
I monitors my credit, bank accounts, personal information linked to my identification, and even tells if a registered sex offender moves into a residence within 10 miles.
I put a security freeze on our accounts a number of years ago after somebody apparently got hold of my SSN and attempted to open a raft of credit cards all at once. None of the cards were actually granted, so the fraudster must have just guessed the SSN with no other verifying info, but it had me worried enough that I just froze everything.
IMO, a freeze is way better than monitoring that just alerts you to a fraud that’s already happened.
Internet purchases and banking is just looking for trouble in my opinion. But then i’m a old guy who still knows what green cash looks like.
my thoughts exactly dutchy. 
And yet every time, dick and harry wants to and tries to force you into autopay. 
Finally got all 3 credit bureaus frozen. The analogy at this point moving forward is, the Perp is still in my house (Experian) and I can’t get it back for 72 hours. Time to try and enjoy the rest of the day 
We have an Identity Restoration endorsement on our Homeowner’s policy, that should help when (not if) we get our info stolen, they assign a case manager to take care of the leg work and cover a significant amount of filing and legal expenses. I’ve never used it so not sure how thorough it is. I monitor our credit thru our bank/credit cards as well.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Internet purchases and banking is just looking for trouble in my opinion. But then i’m a old guy who still knows what green cash looks like.my thoughts exactly dutchy.
And yet every time, dick and harry wants to and tries to force you into autopay.
Sadly that doesn’t change the fact that your personal info is online with dozens of different companies already.
My wife and I have had a credit Freeze at the 3 major credit bureaus for over a decade. I believe this is the most full proof way to protect your credit (but not necessarily your identity). It is a hassle to to place and lift freezes but it is not impossible. I have made major purchases and refinanced a mortgage without issues. It is not that uncommon for people to do these days. I must disagree with what was said above about having to pay to lift the freeze. It was true a decade ago, but I have not had to pay anything at any bureau in the last 5 years to lift a freeze.
We have an Identity Restoration endorsement on our Homeowner’s policy, that should help when (not if) we get our info stolen, they assign a case manager to take care of the leg work and cover a significant amount of filing and legal expenses. I’ve never used it so not sure how thorough it is. I monitor our credit thru our bank/credit cards as well.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Internet purchases and banking is just looking for trouble in my opinion. But then i’m a old guy who still knows what green cash looks like.my thoughts exactly dutchy.
And yet every time, dick and harry wants to and tries to force you into autopay.
Sadly that doesn’t change the fact that your personal info is online with dozens of different companies already.
Yea I hear ya!!
Internet purchases and banking is just looking for trouble in my opinion. But then i’m a old guy who still knows what green cash looks like.
Yep, if you want to make a large purchase in cash the clerk/salesman has to check your ID and has to get approval from a manager. 
You would think the greenbacks have your picture on them instead of a President. 
Another advocate of the credit freeze here. Stop it before it happens. It is incredibly easy to do and prevents anything from ever being opened in your name/credit.
I have MyIDCare. Its complimentary for 5 years since my personal work information was breached by a Chinese cyber-intrusion into classified files kept by the General Services Administration Personnel File.
As I read through this thread I thought I might be the only one “lucky” enough to get it free for now. Seems like ever since I got off active duty army in 2008 I’ve had free credit monitoring since the Department of Defense’s and other veterans’ records seem to constantly be getting breached, and because of that they offer free credit monitoring. I also think I’ve gotten Kroll monitoring from (I believe) a breach to my health insurance.
From what I’ve seen in my limited experience, they’re pretty on the ball. When I bought a new house & moved in fall 2019 I got so many damn alerts because of all the credit pulls and new accounts opening. Then when I officially filed to change addresses with the post office I got another alert about that. Seemed kind of nice to see their work in action.
We have an Identity Restoration endorsement on our Homeowner’s policy, that should help when (not if) we get our info stolen, they assign a case manager to take care of the leg work and cover a significant amount of filing and legal expenses. I’ve never used it so not sure how thorough it is. I monitor our credit thru our bank/credit cards as well.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Internet purchases and banking is just looking for trouble in my opinion. But then i’m a old guy who still knows what green cash looks like.my thoughts exactly dutchy.
And yet every time, dick and harry wants to and tries to force you into autopay.
Sadly that doesn’t change the fact that your personal info is online with dozens of different companies already.
BW, Do we have Identity Resoration as part of our homeowners or is that extra?
The only company who has ever proactively identified fraud on my accounts and stopped it is Paypal, and I don’t even use them for anything (I have an account because it was required for Ebay).
Most of my credit cards now offer monitoring at no charge and they alert me when there are ANY changes to my credit score or new lines of credit opened. I can’t imagine actually paying for someone to do this stuff when so many cards offer it just for being a cardholder.
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