When hackers and thieves get their hands on enough of your personal information, they can easily open accounts in your name, take out payday loans or even file your tax return before you get a chance. There are steps you can take to prevent some types of fraud—like freezing your credit reports—but a thief who has your Social Security number, your birth date and other crucial information can still wreak havoc by stealing your identity right from under your nose.
Identity protection companies like LifeLock can help spot fraud early on, and their protective benefits can even stop it in its tracks in some cases. Most LifeLock plans also come with the added benefit of Norton 360 antivirus software, which helps secure your public information on public internet networks with a secure VPN.
Lifelock offers several tiers of coverage to help protect your identity. These include LifeLock Select with Norton 360, LifeLock Advantage with Norton 360 and LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360. You can also choose a standard plan that comes without Norton 360 software, but since the price is the same as the LifeLock Select with Norton 360 option, there’s no reason to go without. After all, Norton 360 can be downloaded to your computer as well as other devices you have (i.e. your smartphone, tablets, etc.). Just keep in mind that the LifeLock Select with Norton 360 option renews at a higher plan price after the first year.
Here are the LifeLock plans you should consider signing up for:
LifeLock Select with Norton 360
The Select plan from LifeLock provides Social Security number and identity alerts, stolen wallet protection, dark web monitoring, data breach notifications, USPS address change notifications and more.
This plan comes with one bureau credit monitoring (Equifax). You’ll receive $25,000 in stolen funds reimbursement protection, up to $25,000 in personal expense compensation and up to $1 million in coverage for lawyers and experts you can utilize if you’re a victim of identity theft.
You’ll also receive the protection that comes with Norton 360 antivirus software for up to five devices. Further, you’ll even get a VPN for five devices, which can help protect your identity when you use your phone or computer on public wifi networks.
LifeLock Advantage with Norton 360
LifeLock Advantage with Norton 360 comes with more identity theft protection features for a higher price point. You’ll get all the inclusions of the two lower-tier plans including one bureau credit monitoring (Equifax), and you’ll also get bank account and credit card account activity alerts, antivirus software and a VPN for up to 10 devices, alerts on crimes committed in your name and fictitious identity monitoring.
This tier of coverage also comes with an annual credit report and credit score from Equifax, and you’ll get up to $100,000 in stolen funds reimbursement coverage, up to $100,000 in personal expense compensation and up to $1 million in coverage for lawyers and identity theft experts if you become a victim of identity theft.
LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360
The top tier plan from LifeLock is the most comprehensive by far. LifeLock Ultimate Plus with Norton 360 comes with all the benefits of the lower tier plans plus monitoring of all three credit bureaus, a VPN for an unlimited number of devices, annual credit reports and scores from all three credit bureaus, 401(k) and investment account activity alerts, phone takeover monitoring and home title monitoring.
You also get up to $1 million in stolen funds reimbursement coverage, up to $1 million in personal expense compensation and up to $1 million in coverage for lawyers and identity theft experts if you become a victim of identity theft.
If you have substantial assets to protect the LifeLock Ultimate Plus plan is the best option out there. With higher levels of identity theft coverage, monitoring of all three credit bureaus, and 401(k) and investment account activity alerts, you’ll gain a lot more peace of mind.
More Details About LifeLock Plans
Note that none of the plans from LifeLock let you add your children, which makes this provider unique among its competitors. You can purchase LifeLock Junior for an additional cost for dependents under the age of 18, but you have to purchase an adult plan first.
Also important to consider: While the plans may have similar pricing for the first year, the annual renewal prices are widely different, costing up to $200 per year more for the highest tier plan than the lowest.
Still, LifeLock does offer the best money-back guarantee in the business on all of its plans. You have 60 days to try them out and decide if the plan cost is worth it, so you have nothing to lose.
Safeguard Yourself Against Identity Theft
Learn More About LifeLock
On LifeLock's Secure Website (or call 866-775-3167 for details)