Identity Theft Protection Services

Protect your Credit and Identity with these Top Identity Theft Protection Companies

Why Identity Theft Protection and Credit Protection is Essential?

Make no mistakes, identity theft is not something to be complacent about. Lives have descended into financial ruin and people's liberty taken away as a result of this crime.

According to the recent statistical reports of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well as the Federal Trade commission (FTC), identity theft still tops their list of criminal cases and consumer problems. In fact, identity theft is one the fastest growing crime in America and still growing at an unbelievable pace. Identity fraud and theft are no fun.

Below is a list of top ID Theft Companies. We have recommended here what we believe to be the best companies for your protection. Get protected!

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Lifelock™

• $99/year
• First 30 days FREE
• $9/month

Use Promo code "identityprotection"

Lifelock Ultimate™

• $247.50/year
• First 30 days FREE
• $22.50/month

• Identity Theft Protection
• LifeLock Ultimate™
• Savings and Checking account application alerts
• Credit Reports and Credit Score
• Daily Monitoring of all 3 Credit Reports
• Advanced Internet Surveillance
• $1,000.000.00 Total Service Guarantee
• Lost Wallet Protection

Leader in ID Theft Protection. Great value plus the most complete Identity protection service.

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• Free for 30 days
• $16.99 per month

• Identity Theft Protection
• Internet and Credit Monitoring
• Lost Wallet Protection
• Anti-virus Software Discount
• Notification of Credit Changes
• $1,000.000.00 loss reimbursement insurance

Excellent choice for ID Theft Service. Monitors credit reports, SSS no. and a great Internet Security Service.

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• $125/year
• 14 days FREE trial
• $10.42/month

• Identity Theft Protection
• Credit reports and credit scores
• Fraud alerts
• Lost wallet protection
• Name & Address Scanning
• Medical benefits protection
• $1,000.000.00 service warranty

Another great choice for ID theft prevention. Credit freeze is what they do best.

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• $15.95/month
• 30 days FREE

• Identity Theft Protection
• Internet Scan
• Credit Monitoring
• Address Monitoring
• Surveillance alerts notifications
• $1,000.000.00 Identity Theft Insurance

Backed by Experian. Fraud security, credit alerts and monitoring is their expertise.

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How Likely Are You to Become a Victim of Identity Theft?

Everyone is likely to fall prey to the growing number of thieves who steal people's identities and profit from the act. Identity theft is when someone's identity is stolen and used by another for the purpose of financial enrichment. Extreme caution needs to be taken when one is handling personal information like names, passwords and other sensitive records or documents.

Personal information is very vital information and so people should be extra vigilant when handling it. By carelessly leaving your car door open is one way of falling victim to identity theft. A person can acquire your details from the documents in your car and use them to do malicious damage to your name. A telephone call from a phone booth is another likely way of putting your information at risk. Your telephone card number can be used by a criminal to assume your identity and steal from you. By giving someone your details like names and account numbers you are putting yourself in jeopardy of losing your identity. It is better to be stingy when it comes to offering someone your information.

Disposing of documents with vital information should also be taken with precaution. The reason is that someone may come across it and use it to your disadvantage. When at home you may receive a phone call asking you to claim a prize, where they ask for your credit card number. Beware of such fraudulent activity and ask them to send a legitimate form. Phone calls made from so called bank representatives may ask you to verify passwords and names. At no circumstance should you give such details through the phone and it is wise to make an appointment with the bank as soon as possible.

The probability of one losing their identity through their mail is very high; it is advisable to check your post mail regularly. If on travel ask a relative or close acquaintance to pick it up for you until you get back. With cases on the rise it is always better to have your bank check your accounts and give you reports and with this the likeliness of detecting theft earlier is much higher. Identity theft can make one miserable so everyone should take precaution when handling sensitive information.

Four Most Common Internet Identity Theft Scams

As more people use the Internet every day, it is becoming a more common forum for everyday transactions, from online banking to ordering from online stores to transferring money.

Unfortunately, as it becomes more popular, it is also becomes a playground for thieves who are only waiting for an opportunity to steal money from unsuspecting people. Online identity theft involves harvesting personal or financial information from people for personal gain. There are many ways to steal this information. Here are the four most common Internet identity theft scams:

1. The Nigerian Scam

This scam has been around for a few years and, while most people find these emails amusing, they are very successful at draining millions of dollars from victims every year. The basis of the Nigerian scam is that an email is sent to potential victims purportedly from a Nigerian official or banking executive. The email is a plea for help from the victim in spiriting money out of the country. Usually the back story is that a wealthy individual has died with no heirs and the official is willing to split the money with victims if they agree to use their bank account for the transaction. Often, there are upfront fees, costs or even government bribes to be paid and the victim sends increasingly larger amounts of money to the scammer until they realize they have been had. By that time, the thief has all of the victim's banking information and can drain their account for whatever is left.

2. Phishing

Phishing is a means of harvesting personal and financial information from unsuspecting people and using it for personal gain. There are many ways to phish information. A common one is through email. The victim receives an email that looks like it comes from their bank. It may have the bank's logo and other identifying features to make it look more authentic. The email often urges the victim to click on the link to update or verify their account. In order to override a sense of caution, the email often says that if the action isn't performed in a short period of time, the accounts will be frozen or there will be extra fees. The link directs victims to a website that looks like their banking site but, in reality, is a site that gathers their passwords, SSN, and any other information the victim types in.

3. Help Wanted Ads

Phony help wanted ads can come by email or be listed on sites like Craigslist. They often offer high-paying work-at-home opportunities, which appeal to many who cannot work outside of the home during the day, such as new moms. These offers usually request a fee to be paid with the application or to get further information. Once the application has been filled out and sent with payment, the thief now has several key pieces of confidential information, such as SSN, bank account numbers, and family connections. This information can be then used to impersonate the victim, drain bank accounts, and apply for credit in the victim's name.

4. Lottery or Prize Notifications

This scam appeals to the greed in everyone. The victim receives an email that they have won a large prize in a contest or sweepstakes (one in which the victim did not enter). The notification directs the victim to call a number or reply to the email at which time they are told that the prize can be sent out as soon as the taxes are paid or the shipping costs are paid. The thief slowly milks the victim for larger and larger sums of money until they catch on.

In many cases, Internet identity theft scams occur because of the allure of free money. The old adage applies even in the Internet age: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".