Identity Guard takes a novel approach to identity theft protection by enlisting the assistance of an IBM Watson supercomputer. Identity Guard Ultra can detect vulnerabilities and identity theft earlier than competitors by using artificial intelligence to monitor the web. Identity Guard Ultra offers low-cost family plans, social media monitoring, and the capacity to detect tax-refund fraud rapidly. This article will give you an insight into Identity Guard Ulta, its cost, utility, and other features. Let's begin.
Costs and Insurance
Individuals can choose from three identity-protection options, with annual plans being subsidized. The Value subscription is $9 per month or $90 per year. It includes $1 million in lost funds insurance and a professional case manager in the event of identity theft. One of its defining features is that it employs the IBM Watson supercomputer in a way no other system has before to identify and block cyber threats.
Contrarily, neither credit score monitoring nor credit reports are part of the Value plan. If you're willing to spend $20 a month (or $200 a year), Identity Guard's total program is a worthy upgrade.
Features
VantageScore 3.0 credit scores are not as helpful as the competing FICO scores in establishing creditworthiness. However, they are still valuable pieces of information. You'll receive instant warnings when something possibly suspicious occurs regarding your credit files. Still, you'll only have access to complete credit reports once per year. The protection also alerts you if your bank account is being accessed or a new version is being opened in your name.
The top-tier Ultra plan from Identity Guard includes a social media monitoring function that monitors children's and teens' social media activity and alerts parents to potential cyberbullying. It also monitors your credit card and investment accounts and looks for address and home-title changes. The Ultra plan costs an individual $30 per month or $300 per year.
An alternative Value plan that covers two adults and an unlimited number of children under 18 costs $15 per month or $150 per year. The annual cost of the Total Family plan is $300, while the Ultra Family plan costs $400 per year.
Extras
Both a mobile anti-phishing software and a browser extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox that flags potentially malicious websites and monitoring cookies are included with all Identity Guard plans.
Services and Insurance
If the worst happens and your data is exposed online or your identity is compromised, Identity Guard Ultra can help you freeze your credit. Unlike LifeLock and IdentityForce, Identity Guard does not provide a one-click solution, although customer service is available by phone.
Identity Guard provides $1,000,000 in insurance coverage backed by AIG (American International Group) if your identity is stolen while they monitor it. This will help pay for things like replacing your passport, driver's license, and other documents that may have been lost in the heist and any legal fees incurred due to the theft.
If you have to skip work to deal with the crisis, the insurance will compensate you for up to $1,000 in travel expenses and up to $2,000 per week in lost wages. The website of Identity Guard can expedite the process of canceling stolen credit cards and obtaining replacements. Registering your present cards with Identity Guard can help speed up future recovery efforts.
Identity Guard, a pioneer in detecting tax-return fraud, has a partnership with the "biggest online tax preparation." However, company reps declined to specify which one. It can tell you whether someone has filed fake tax records in your name.
System of Notification and Alerts
Not only will this service alert you to a change of address at the Post Office, but it will also flag any suspicious activity using your Medicare or health insurance card numbers.
The notifications have specific thresholds, but the duplicate-transaction service does not. The alerts are sent not just to your phone but also to your email address. Alerts regarding your mortgage application can not be missed, resulting in credit reports being pulled from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
At the bottom of each notice, you may tell Identity Guard if you were responsible for the alarm, allowing the service to cease worrying.
Configuring Identity Guard
After visiting the Identity Guard website, pick Start My Membership and the Ultra service. Log in with the credentials you created on the dashboard of the service. You will be asked six identity-verification questions about your mortgage, previous addresses, and phone numbers. Later, you will be asked to answer more than thirty questions for IBM Watson's AI monitoring to recognize your data. Identity Guard claims your data is encrypted in transit and on the company's servers.
Utility and Interface
Identity Guard, like other identity theft protection services, includes mobile apps for smartphones and tablets and a web browser interface for laptops and desktops.
Identity Guard Ultra's browser interface is bright and open and works nicely at 100% magnification on an HD display. There is no need to scroll because everything is visible. It's an unusual identity theft protection solution with a web interface that doesn't appear like a website.
Alerts, Home Title Monitoring, Credit Report Access, Privacy Settings, Wallet Protection, Safe Browsing Extension Support, and ten more options are just some of the boxes that make up Identity Guard's Online Dashboard. TransUnion and Experian VantageScore 3.0 ratings are also available.
The main interface categories are Alerts, Watchlist (for dark-web surveillance), and Credit. The Privacy section examines your Facebook activity and generates a Social Insight Report. Identity Guard offers Safe Browsing browser extensions to detect known harmful websites and equivalent Android and iOS apps.
Cancellation
Cancelling can be difficult, as it is with the bulk of identity theft protection programs. Some customers allege in online reviews that they continue to receive subscription costs even after they believe they have canceled. You must go through your account settings panels to cancel Identity Guard. At the upper right of the dashboard panel, select My Account. Select Billing & Subscription from the menu on the left. The Cancel Plan button will appear on the right side. To begin the cancellation procedure, click on it.
You can also cancel by calling customer care. Even if you cancel, your subscription stays active until the conclusion of your subscription period. There are no refunds for unused subscription periods.
Capture screenshots of the notices you receive and save your emails as you go through the canceling procedure. You will need this evidence if there is a disagreement about the cancellation. Before joining the service, you should also read the Identity Guard terms of service. This page explains the legal consequences of being a subscriber. The service's offers will be announced first in this document if anything changes.
Finally, always use a credit card to sign up for an identity theft protection program like Identity Guard. There will not be any problems in canceling Identity Guard, but if you do, your credit card company will have a higher chance of assisting you in disputing the charges than your bank.
Conclusion
Identity Guard is about value, with reasonably cost security plans that combine essential identity theft protection with robust artificial intelligence monitoring. Identity Guard's use of artificial intelligence may keep you one step ahead of identity thieves. Continue reading Hoe.com for more updates on home security.
