Best ID Theft Protection

Equifax is perhaps best known as a consumer credit reporting agency. But the company also provides advanced ID theft protection services, including versatile family plans. The agency offers instant credit checking via its mobile app while providing three-bureau reporting on an annual basis. Its own reporting is automated with daily updates.

When it comes to fraud prevention, Equifax has a lot in common with LifeLock. That means dark web scanning, automated alerts, and lost wallet assistance. Your plan comes with a dedicated team of ID restoration specialists that will help you get things back in order if you become a victim of identity theft. This includes up to $1 million in theft insurance.

Thanks to its simple pricing policy, Equifax is the best ID theft protection for families. Instead of calculating different rates or paying add-ons, you simply get the Equifax Complete Family plan that covers your spouse and up to four kids. These offers make up for the fact that the starting price is slightly higher than with some of the competing services.

Final thoughts

With its competitive pricing plan, daily reporting, and quick lockdown tools, Equifax is another comprehensive solution for anyone that cares about keeping their ID safe. If you’re looking for the best ID theft protection for your family, look no further than Equifax.

If you’re looking to protect your identity but wish to avoid those complicated and expensive plans, PrivacyGuard is an ideal option. The company tailors to individuals who are new to these types of services or those asking the question: what is identity theft? PrivacyGuard’s friendly support staff is ready to answer all of your questions and guide you through some of the more challenging processes.

The basic plan includes dark web surveillance, Social Security and ID verification monitoring, and up to $1 million in theft insurance. If you wish to protect your credit score, choose the PrivacyGuard Credit Protection plan, which includes daily credit monitoring with all three credit bureaus, fraud resolution support, and the aforementioned $1 million insurance for stolen funds

If you want to enjoy all these benefits in one place, sign up for the Total Protection plan, which offers complete identity theft insurance.

You can try out PrivacyGuard for 14 days by paying just $1. From there, plans range between $9.99/month and $24.99/month. Keep in mind these are all plans for individuals, and there is no family plan available.

Final thoughts

Privacy Guard is a great choice if you’re on a budget or don’t need all the advanced features. Even without family plans and certain security components, this is still one of the best ID theft protection companies in the US.

Zander Insurance is one of the oldest companies in the business. Founded in 1925, it’s not only one of the most experienced insurers, but one of the most affordable ones. Its ID theft protection services have been available for the past 10 years, and Zander’s agents are made available to you for up to three years if you become a victim of identity theft.

Zander Insurance also protects against medical and employment fraud and will cover your lost salaries for up to $7,500 per month. When compared to the industry average, this amount is roughly 50% higher.

Like all previously mentioned services, the reimbursement limit is $1 million, but there’s no option for social media monitoring and credit reporting. That’s the main reason we didn’t crown Zander as the top-rated identity theft protection service.

On the plus side, the price of this service is unbeatable. If you choose to pay for a monthly plan, it’ll cost you just $6.75. The annual plan is an even better deal and costs $75, giving you an entire month of service for free. The family plan is just slightly more expensive – $12.9/month or $145 annually, which is still more affordable than the competition.

Final thoughts

Zander Insurance may not offer all the bells and whistles, but it’s undoubtedly the most affordable ID theft protection you’ll come across. Many decades of experience and a professional team ensure that your identity is kept safe.

Universally praised as the best identity theft protection service, LifeLock packages are too good to pass up. Founded in 2005, the company is now owned by Norton, and most plans come with a subscription to Norton 360 among many other great features. The service enables you to lock your credit in case of any fraudulent activities, and you can also instantly freeze your bank account and block inquiries by credit bureaus.

LifeLock employs several real-time algorithms designed to sniff out a stolen identity. These include dark web scanning, tracking the use of your Social Security number, and looking for any accounts open in your name. Aside from protection against ID theft, LifeLock also sends immediate alerts via phone, email, or text, so you’ll immediately know if someone is trying to use your personal details.

There are four plans to choose from. Each one offers reimbursements for stolen funds. The theft insurance ranges from $25,000 with the Standard plan to $1 million with the Ultimate Plus offer. The latter is also the only plan that offers monitoring services of all three credit bureaus. Unfortunately, you can’t include your children in any of these plans without an additional payment of $5.99/month for each child, so it’s not the most affordable option if you’re looking for a family plan.

Final thoughts

LifeLock provides top identity theft protection with the fastest response times for both alerts and countermeasures. While it can get pricey, the service is worth the money, and the company gets our seal of approval. Thanks to one of the best money-back guarantees in the business, you can check out what LifeLock has to offer for 60 days risk-free.

ID Watchdog has been providing identity theft protection services since 2005. A subsidiary of Equifax, this Denver-based service also checks in with all three major credit bureaus and specializes in helping people recover from doxxing and identity theft.

ID Watchdog provides robust credit monitoring tools. Available through its website and mobile app, it allows you to read daily Equifax reports and track your credit score. It also offers monthly reports and VantageScore checkups, with an instant lock in case of any fraudulent activity.

Other monitoring tools include dark web scanning, subprime loans, public records, notifications about unusual transactions, change of address, sex offender list, and more. It’s quite a comprehensive identity theft protection plan.

There are only two plans on offer. ID Watchdog Plus will cost you $14.95/month, while Platinum costs $19.95. For a few extra bucks, the Platinum plan monitors all three credit bureaus, provides credit reports, and offers $500,000 in insurance for money stolen from a 401(k) plan.

Final thoughts

ID Watchdog provides top-notch security for its customers, even though it’s more about prevention than about recovering your stolen identity. If that’s what you’re after, this is the ID theft protection company for you.