Did you know that one in four people will experience identity theft at some point? That’s hardly surprising, given the fact that so much of our lives now take place online, including communications, shopping, web browsing, banking, and even investing.
A thief only needs to get access to your computer or cell phone, and he can get all the information needed to access your existing accounts, apply for new credit in your name, or even impersonate you in getting a job or committing a crime.
The threats are all around and are growing each year.
What is LifeLock?
A service like LifeLock provides what is perhaps the greatest level of protection offered by any single service in the industry. By working with Norton, one of the most respected names in Internet security, they can protect your computer and mobile devices – and a whole lot more.
They also provide alerts for activity in connection with your credit, banking, Social Security number, and even your home address. And if all else fails, each plan they offer has an insurance package that will reimburse you for financial losses sustained as a result of identity theft.
Each plan also comes with a degree of credit monitoring. It’s minimal on the most basic plan, but fairly comprehensive on the premium plan.
Since LifeLock provides so many different services, it can be less expensive than if you had to pay for each of those services individually.
LifeLock Company Overview
LifeLock is perhaps the best-known of all identity theft protection services available. This is likely because the company advertises heavily on TV and the Internet. Based in Tempe, Arizona, the company was founded in 2015. They currently claim they have over 5 million customers.
LifeLock may be the most comprehensive online and identity theft protection service available. Not only do they provide basic Internet security, but they also provide safeguards to protect your identity in everything from your physical address to your investment accounts. And if your identity is stolen, they can help you restore it, and even provide insurance to cover your financial losses.
They do caution however, that they are not a credit repair service. But that may be the one service LifeLock doesn’t provide.
LifeLock offers three different plans, all of which come with credit monitoring. But two of the plans provide additional credit services to help you further monitor your credit. They also offer credit-related alerts, to let you know any time your name is associated with a credit-related event, such as an application for new credit or a data breach violation.
LifeLock Company Ratings
- LifeLock has a Better Business Bureau rating of “A-” (on a scale of A+ to F), and though it isn’t BBB accredited, the bureau has kept a file on the company since 2005.
- It gets four stars out of five with Trustpilot, with a TrustScore of “7.2” (with 10 being the highest rating), based on 38 reviews.
- LifeLock has one star out of five on Yelp based on five reviews.
How Does LifeLock Work?
LifeLock starts with a limited credit monitoring capability. They offer three different plans, and each comes with a different level of credit services. Each of the three plans offers credit monitoring, but the two premium plans also provide a copy of your annual credit report and credit monitoring for up to three bureaus.
In the process, they also monitor and report misuse of your Social Security number, suspicious activity with your bank accounts and credit cards, and alerting you of crimes committed in your name. One plan even provides activity alerts for your 401(k) and investment plans.
24/7 Customer Support
In the event your identity is stolen, they provide 24/7 member support, as well as US-based identity restoration specialists who can help you go about the often complicated process of restoring your identity. They even provide lost wallet protection on all three plans, to minimize the damage should your wallet be lost or stolen.
Other credit-related services include Dark Web monitoring (the Dark Web is where stolen identity information is typically bought and sold), alerts on any changes in your address, and data breach notifications. Two of the plans also offer account activity alerts for your checking and savings accounts.
Security for 5+ Devices
Each plan provides security for at least five devices, including computers, tablets, and mobile devices. Each offers a different level of PC cloud backup storage, as well as a 100% virus protection promise and parental controls.
LifeLock provides you with a VPN for five or more devices. This is a valuable service by itself since it is typically available as a standalone product, paid for on a monthly basis. VPN services mask your online identity, enabling you to browse anonymously, protecting you from monitoring by unauthorized parties who may attempt to steal your identity while you are online.
The LifeLock Million Dollar Protection Package
Each of the three LifeLock plans comes with the Million Dollar Protection Package. It starts with coverage for lawyers and experts for up to $1 million on all three plans. But it also has stolen funds reimbursement, ranging from $25,000 up to $1 million, and compensation for personal expenses, also ranging from $25,000 up to $1 million.
LifeLock recognizes that the damage from identity theft can never entirely be prevented. But with the Million Dollar Protection Package, you can receive financial compensation for losses sustained as a result of a theft.
3 Plans Offered by LifeLock
To accommodate different customer needs and budgets, LifeLock offers three different plans.
Each of the plans comes with the following data security benefits:
- US-based identity restoration specialists
- 24/7 live member support
- Identity and social security number alerts
- Lost wallet protection
- US Postal Service address change verification
- Dark Web monitoring
- Data breach notifications
- 100% virus protection promise
- Parental controls
- Anonymous browsing (the VPN service)
- Ad-tracker blocker
- PC SafeCam
Each plan also comes with Internet security provided by Norton as part of the plan. That will eliminate the need to maintain a separate Internet security system on your computers or mobile devices.
1. LifeLock Select
For $9.99 per month for the first year (then $14.99 per month), the Select plan provides the following services:
- Social Security number alerts
- Security for up to five devices
- VPN for up to five devices
- Reimbursement for stolen funds and personal expenses of up to $25,000
- Coverage for lawyers and experts up to $1 million
- One-bureau credit monitoring
- PC cloud backup for up to 100 GB
2. LifeLock Advantage
For $19.99 per month for the first year (then $24.99 per month), the Advantage plan provides the following services:
- Social Security number alerts
- Credit, checking and savings account activity alerts
- Security for up to 10 devices
- VPN for up to 10 devices
- Bank activity alerts
- Credit card activity alerts
- Alerts on crimes in your name
- Reimbursement for stolen funds and personal expenses of up to $100,000
- Coverage for lawyers and experts up to $1 million
- One-bureau credit monitoring
- Annual credit score
- Fictitious identity monitoring
- PC cloud backup for up to 250 GB
Sign up for LifeLock Advantage
3. LifeLock Ultimate Plus
For $29.99 per month for the first year (then $34.99 per month), the Ultimate Plus plan provides the following services:
- Social Security number alerts
- Credit, checking and savings account activity alerts
- Security for unlimited devices
- VPN for unlimited devices
- Bank activity alerts
- Credit card activity alerts
- Alerts on in your name
- Annual credit reports from all three-bureaus
- Annual credit score
- Investment and 401(k) activity alerts
- Reimbursement for stolen funds and personal expenses, and compensation for lawyers and experts of up to $1 million
- Three-bureau credit monitoring
- Monthly one bureau credit score tracking
- Fictitious identity monitoring
- Bank account takeover alerts
- File-sharing network searches
- Sex offender registry reports
- PC cloud backup for up to 500 GB
Sign up for LifeLock Ultimate Plus
LifeLock Junior for Children
Many people mistakenly believe credit monitoring and identity theft protection aren’t needed for children, but that’s not the case. Children often make easier targets for identity theft precisely because they don’t have a credit profile. A thief only needs to obtain their name, address and Social Security number to engineer an identity theft that may not be detected until the child turns 18 and makes an application for credit, a job, or college.
That’s why LifeLock offers LifeLock Junior. For $5.99 per month, it will provide the following protections for your child:
- LifeLock Identity Alerts
- Dark Web monitoring
- Lost wallet protection
- Stolen funds reimbursement up to the limits of your plan
- Credit file detection, to determine if any credit information is associated with your child’s identity
- Identity restoration support
- File-sharing network searches
LifeLock Features and Benefits
The LifeLock 60 Day Guarantee
If you are not satisfied with the service for any reason, you can cancel it within 60 days for a full refund. The refund applies only if you have paid for service on an annual basis. If your subscription is monthly, you will be charged for each month in which the service was rendered.
Devices Protected by LifeLock
The service is available for computers, tablets, and mobile devices. It works with the current and previous two versions of Mac OS, as well as Windows operating systems, including Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 or later, and all versions of Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. It’s available for mobile devices as indicated below.
LifeLock Mobile App
You can stay connected with LifeLock through their mobile app. It’s available at Google Play for Android devices 4.2 and up, and at The App Store for iOS devices, 9.3 and later. It’s compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Customer Service
Customer contact is available by toll-free phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also offer a Member Portal, providing a self-service option with quick answers to the most common questions.
How to Sign up with LifeLock
To be eligible to sign up with LifeLock, you must be at least 18 years old and a US resident. Your minor children can be included in your plan, but they cannot enroll individually.
LifeLock will request the following information:
- Your full name, and that of any family members who will be added to your plan
- Email address
- Home address
- Your date of birth
- Social security number
- Your phone number
- You will also be required to provide similar information for any family members who will be part of your plan. LifeLock will verify your identity with a valid driver’s license. For billing purposes, you will be required to put a credit card on file.
Pros & Cons
Pros of LifeLock
- LifeLock is fully comprehensive. You will not need to maintain separate services for credit monitoring, identity protection, VPN or Internet protection. All three LifeLock plans provide all services.
- You’ll pay a flat monthly or annual fee. There’ll be no additional fees for add-on services.
- 24/7 customer service means you’ll be able to connect with LifeLock at any time the need arises.
- The restoration services provided by LifeLock will work with you to minimize the damage from identity theft, as well as to restore your identity.
- The Million Dollar Protection Package provides up to $1 million for stolen funds reimbursement, personal expense compensation, and coverage for lawyers and experts. That will protect you from the financial fall out of having your identity stolen.
- LifeLock goes beyond credit monitoring, and also monitors the Dark Web, provides data breach notifications, change of address notifications, and unauthorized use of your Social Security number, and bank and investment accounts.
Cons of LifeLock
- As comprehensive as the LifeLock program is, they don’t offer credit repair. If that’s the service you’d like to have, you’ll need to work with another id theft provider.
- The monthly payment for each of the three service plans is quoted for the first year only. After that, the monthly fee for each plan will increase by $5.
- To get full credit and credit monitoring protection, you’ll need to select the premium Ultimate Plus plan. The other two plans, particularly LifeLock Select, provide only the most basic credit monitoring capabilities.
- The service can be expensive for an entire family. You’ll have to take a subscription for each adult, as well as enroll each child in the LifeLock Junior plan. For two adults and two children, that will be $31.96 per month.
Will LifeLock Work Best For You?
LifeLock can work well for anyone, but it’s best suited to those who want comprehensive protection on nearly all fronts, and are willing to pay for that protection. The real strength of LifeLock is the variety of services they offer. The program comes with Norton 360 protection for your computers and mobile devices. But they also offer credit monitoring, identity restoration services, insurance coverage to protect you from financial losses, and VPN services to provide safe online browsing.
If you had to pay for each of those services individually, it would likely exceed the monthly cost you will pay for even the LifeLock Ultimate Plus plan.
Where LifeLock seems strongest is in his restoration services. The time to get identity theft protection is always before the theft occurs. No service, not even LifeLock can guarantee that your identity will never be stolen. But if it ever is, it can be a nightmare to fix. LifeLock works with you through the whole process, providing you with restoration specialists to help you do what’s needed, then offers insurance to cover financial losses sustained as a result of the theft.
If you’re primarily interested in credit monitoring or credit repair, LifeLock isn’t the most cost-effective program to use. First, they don’t provide credit repair at all. Then their credit monitoring capabilities are modest compared to the competition. But if you’re looking for 360° protection, LifeLock is your go-to plan.
If you’d like more information, or you’d like to sign up for the service, check out the LifeLock website.
