LifeLock Review For 2020

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

Get Started With LifeLock

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 3 different plans.

Each of the plans comes with the following data security benefits:

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:

Sign up for LifeLock Select

2. LifeLock Advantage

For $19.99 per month for the first year (then $24.99 per month), the Advantage plan provides the following services:

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:

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 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:

Pros & Cons

Pros of LifeLock

Cons of LifeLock

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.