Identity Guard Review: Safeguard Your Identity

Founded nearly 25 years ago, Identity Guard utilizes the artificial intelligence abilities of IBM’s Watson computing system to get data and insights about potential threats of identity theft. The company states that it has the shortest average response time for any credit report inquiries made with the credit bureaus TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. The software has also got numerous awards in the past. This is because of its near-real-time notification of any frauds that could lead to major identity thefts.

Since the company is based in the US, the firm is subject to several international surveillance alliances. This means under particular circumstances; the company could be forced to give over their user data, which made us a little queasy. We headed over to the privacy policy to see what type of customer data the company keeps. We found out that the company gives our info to free services or third parties, but not marketing or advertising. Of course, it was up to the user how much info they wanted to feed into the app of Identity Guard. But the more info you give, the more the services can monitor and share the info with third parties. So, it was a double-edged sword.

At a minimum, the info includes our payment information, Social Security numbers, birthdays, passwords, and usernames. Fortunately, the user data was encrypted. But it was encrypted with a lower standard than what the industry uses as a whole. While the company has not seen any type of data breaches so far, it is not the top choice for people who are very concerned about their privacy. If you are in this category, try upgrading to another service with better encryption. The app is better equipped to guard the most sensitive info you have with better encryption.

We found it simple to set up and use the software on an optimistic note. After we filled in the info and paid the fee, we viewed the alerts in the dashboard of the software and verified our identity in a couple of ways. We answered a couple of threat questions and some multiple-choice questions. The more info we provided the software, the more data they could give us, especially for the Artificial Intelligence-powered functions such as risk management reports and social insight. Once we put in all the info, we went between the scores, credit reports, watchlist, alerts, and the dashboard.

The company gives plans in several tiers for families or individuals. These are Value, Total, and Ultra. The value plan has basic identity monitoring, credit protection tools, dark web monitoring, data breach notifications, and other advantages. But, you will have to update the Total or Ultra plan if you would like any kind of credit monitoring. This is also valid if you require bank account monitoring or any oversight on your surplus financial accounts. The Ultra plan is the costliest, but it is the best if you have plenty of assets and a complex financial situation. Ultra identity theft monitoring includes the widest selection advantages: address change monitoring, home title monitoring, debit and credit card monitoring, investment account monitoring, and more.

All the plans from the company come with one million dollars in insurance for identity theft that will reimburse you for any covered financial losses if your identity is compromised or stolen. The insurance should alone be worth the price of getting entry. Still, you can pay extra to have more of your accounts and personal finances overseen. Identity Guard comes with a mobile app too that allows you to oversee your identity and get notifications on the go. You do not have to use any app. Still, it is available if you want to monitor your identity through mobile instead of a personal computer.

If you seek identity theft protection that does not cost a lot, you may be happy with the bottom-tier Value plan of the software. But, you can upgrade for greater coverage if you have more accounts and assets to protect. The plans come with vital insurance coverage that will save your finances if you become a victim of any type of fraud. Better yet, users can get a big discount if they do not mind paying for annual protection upfront. Overall, Identity Guard provides great value for families and individuals. But users should compare all the best identity theft firms before making a final decision.